A Malton teenager has completed a skydive with the world famous Red Devils to raise funds for Louby’s Lifeline.

Simon Robinson’s dad, the Rev Ian Robinson, conducted the funeral for 18-year-old Laura Robinson-Tierney at his Old Malton church in March, and it inspired Simon to help Laura’s charity, Louby’s Lifeline.

Simon got the chance to skydive with the ace daredevil team – the official parachute display team for the Parachute Regiment and the British Army – after his dad repelled all bidders for the jump at a charity auction in aid of St Mary’s Priory.

The 17-year-old headed to Langar Airfield in Nottingham on the big day and said that after an hour of waiting, and with his nerves just about under control, he was suited up while the sergeant and lieutenant in charge talked everyone through the safety procedure and the postions they would need to adopt dupring the dive.

Simon said: “Before I knew it, we were marching towards a light aircraft which would take us to 13,000 feet, where I and the sergeant I was jumping in tandem with would sit dangling out of the doorway, almost two and a half miles above the Nottinghamshire countryside.”

Simon was the first to jump. He said: “After a quick count to three the sergeant launched us into space. For a split second everything was silent, before gravity seemed to wrench us towards the ground at 120mph and the air started rushing past our heads.”

Simon said the initial shock turned into a huge adrenaline rush as the magnitude of what he was doing finally hit him.

“We were in freefall for 40 seconds falling 7,000 ft. At 6,000 ft it was time to deploy the parachute and by the time we were down to 5,000 ft it had opened completely and we gently descended over the next couple of minutes until we were back on terra firma.”

Simon said he would like to thank Sergeant Michael Blanchard and the Red Devils and also Louby’s mum Emma, who came to watch the jump.

“It was great to be able to tell her that more than £1,000 had been raised for Louby’s Lifeline and more than £700 for York Against Cancer,” he added.

“What an awesome day, an amazing and unforgettable experience – one of the best moments of my life. I will definitely be going again, without a shadow of a doubt.”