THE first time a brave student will take to the skies in an aeroplane she will not be aboard the craft for the descent.

Because Emily Vernalls will be leaping from the craft at 10,000ft on Friday as part of a charity tandem skydive to raise funds for a brain injury charity which cared for her father.

The 24-year-old, of Somers Close, Leigh Sinton, near Malvern, said: “I’m quite nervous about it, I don’t even like roller-coasters. I went to Alton Towers on Monday and I was getting nervous in the queues. My friends kept reminding me that I had agreed to jump out of an aeroplane, so why was I worried about a roller-coaster.”

Miss Vernalls, who is studying bookkeeping and accounting at Worcester College of Technology, will be raising money for Headway West Midlands when she takes part in the skydive, which will be held at Hinton Airfield, Northamptonshire.

Her father John was cared for at the charity’s Worcester branch in Gregorys Mill Street after he had a brain tumour.

“I have three brothers and they were all quite young when it happened. My dad went into day care so my mum Ruth could get the housework done and he really enjoyed it.

“He is much better than he used to be, but when a friend who works there mentioned the skydive I remembered all the care they gave him and thought what better charity to do it for than one that has helped our family.”

Miss Vernalls has been busy collecting donations from friends and family, as well as from customers at Leigh Sinton Stores where she works.

“I’ve never had the opportunity to go on a plane before. I’ve been to Switzerland on a coach and ferry and my family holidays were in England or Wales,” she said.

“But it is going to be very interesting to go up in the plane, but not to be in it when it comes back down.”

To donate, log on to my donate.bt.com/fundraisers/ emilyvernalls1.