AS a former senior aircraftwoman with the RAF, Sharon Brown has always had a head for heights.

But this has not stopped her feeling a little nervous about an upcoming wing walk to raise funds for an Oxford-based bereavement charity.

The mum-of-one will carry out the daring stunt next month in a bid to raise more than £1,000 for SeeSaw.

Ms Brown, 46, from Abingdon, decided to carry out the challenge following the death of her father, Colin West, from pneumonia in 2014.

Among Ms Brown's most treasured processions is a picture of her father Colin West in which they are both wearing their RAF uniforms.

It was taken at Ms Brown's passing out parade in 1990, when Mr West was with 2624 Squadron at Brize Norton, with the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment.

Ms Brown left the RAF in 1995 and now works for a domestic appliances firm but says her time in the military has provided some preparation for the wing walk.

She said: "When I was in the RAF I went up on quite a few training flights and I was flown around the coast of Cornwall in a Chinook but that's quite different to wing walking.

"I think I will be attached to the top of a biplane - maybe a Tiger Moth - and the whole thing will last about 20 minutes with a 500ft dive included.

"As it gets closer I'm trying not to think about it too much but it's for a very good cause so it will be worth it."

The customs relations adviser and gym coach, who lives in Magnette Close, said her father was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2004.

She added: "We are a very close family and dad adored every single one of us and would do anything for us - his family meant everything to him.

"We would always be there, driving us to and from our various sports while we were growing up and, when they came along, he doted on his grandchildren.

"He was the kindest man I know so losing him has been exceptionally hard to deal with.

"The youngsters in our family range from three to 20 and as we were wrapped up in our own grief it was easy to forget that they had lost someone too."

The family turned to SeeSaw and helped them all overcome their loss.

Ms Brown said: "SeeSaw has been very supportive so I wanted to do something to support the charity and I thought wing walking would be a good idea.

"Some of the younger people in the family were struggling to cope with the loss and they could not express themselves and SeeSaw was able to give us some support and advice."

The charity supports children before or after a close family bereavement, by offering them dedicated face to face support and providing information, advice, and support to families.

Director Helen Mackinnon welcomed Ms Brown's fundraising efforts.

She aims to complete the feat at Damyns Hall Aerodrome in Essex on August 20.