Kendal grandmother Marina Potter finally fulfilled her ambition and took to the skies to raise money for her favourite charities.

Fed up with "shaking tins" to try to raise money, 63-year-old Mrs Potter, who is an arthritis sufferer, stepped out of a plane 14,000ft above Morecambe Bay - and sky-dived down into Cark Airfield.

"It was amazing," she said afterwards.

" I only felt a bit nervous when I was waiting to go up.

People jumped out at 6,000ft but we kept on going up and I wondered when my turn was coming!"

After jumping from the aircraft in tandem with instructor and centre owner Mike Carruthers, Mrs Potter could see only clouds.

"I was spinning round and round and it was like being in a bubble bath.

But then the second parachute opened and we shot up before starting to descend.

Then I saw the whole of Morecambe Bay.

It was wonderful."

With a team of instructors waiting to help, Mrs Potter, who received medical clearance for her unusual stunt, found her landing quite comfortable and had little trouble recovering from her sky-dive.

A life-long fund-raiser, she is now setting about collecting sponsorship money and donations which will all go towards a list of charities she wants to help, including MIND (the national association for mental health), CancerCare and South Lakeland Voluntary Society for the Blind.

"I was just really fed up with shaking tins at people to try to raise money," said Mrs Potter.

"I feel it's a shame that someone like me has to go to these lengths.

Charities should be properly funded."

Mrs Potter says she is very grateful for the support she has already received from Booths.

in Kendal.

and other local firms and individuals.

Her fund-raising continues with visits planned to Sellafield and to Burneside Mill.

Among people she will be telling about her sky-dive is radio and television personality Terry Wogan, who she has e-mailed about her event.

Anyone wishing to donate to Mrs Potter's fund-raising can do so through Barclays Bank in Kendal.