A TEACHER took the plunge for charity when she did a skydive to raise money for mental health charity Mind.

Tina Zanelli-King, who teaches business studies at Haydon School, Eastcote, leapt from 10,000ft and reached speeds of up to 120mph as she fell earthwards.

She raised more than £1,100 and the valuable funds will help to pay for Mindinfoline, a national helpline answering 20,000 enquiries a year about mental distress.

Tina, who took up the challenge to mark her 40th birthday, said: "I have been a keen supporter of Mind for a number of years as there is a history of depression in my family. Mind has done a lot to make mental illness more acceptable and to influence policies such as discrimination laws.

She added: "It's my birthday in October and I decided that I would have a year of doing some things I have always wanted to do, like jumping out of a plane."

Readers who would like to take up a parachuting challenge for Mind simply need to raise a minimum of £280 that will go towards helping the one in four people who will experience mental health problems at some point in their lives.

Anyone interested in taking part can telephone Gurdev Sagoo in the Mind events team on 020 8215 2215, send an email to: g.sagoo@mind.org.uk or visit www.mind.org.uk Donations can be made on Tina's website at www.justgiving.com/tinaskydive