YOU might ask yourself - and who'd blame you? - why a man like David Collins, someone with a self-confessed fear of heights, should be about to throw himself out of a plane or strap himself to a bungee rope.

When you find out he's just won a frightening battle with throat cancer, you'd be forgiven for thinking that he might reconsider the fine line which divides life and death and settle for a place well on the safe side.

But one sentence sweeps logic aside and, with it, any case you can build against his fund-raising ambition.

"I was really grateful for all the help I received while I was fighting cancer and wanted to show my gratitude," he says. "I felt it was time to put something back for other people suffering from cancer." Who could argue against that?

It's appropriate that he's asked for help in a week which sees the final build-up to the London Marathon.

Dozens of runners from the two counties will be among the 30,000 passing the start line on Sunday.

They'll follow in the footsteps of thousands of like-minded folk who, over the years, have climbed their own mountains in training to run for fun and funds in the event.

In many cases, the sight of those predecessors on television will have been their inspiration. In many others, it will be the stark need of a good cause or a personal challenge.

Both those final factors, of course, figure high in Dave Collins' motives in facing up to his deepest fears - the kind already tackled during his cancer battle - and being prepared to take the plunge.

We'll no doubt return to the marathon theme on Saturday. Until then, we salute Dave and everyone like him, just as we salute all those who've ensured that he's around to set himself his new challenge.

For those whose stiffest battle is deciding how to spend their hard-earned cash, we have just the suggestion.