WANNABE spidermen are being encouraged to head to Cowley this weekend to support an Oxford hospice.

An abseiling event will be taking place at the Unipart Building off Garsington Road on Sunday from 9am to 5pm to help raise funds for Sobell House.

People will be sliding down the front of the building on a fixed rope, with speed of descent controlled by a harness. One volunteer is Sarah Fell, from Grove. She said: “I’m quite nervous, I didn’t realise quite how tall the building was until I went to see it the other day.”

The 23-year-old was inspired to take part because she was impressed by the care her grandfather Bill Simmons, who died of lung cancer in 2001, aged 70, received at the hospice.

Registration in advance for the event is £15. Participants are asked to collect a minimum of £100 in sponsorship.

To receive an information pack, or to register for the event, call the charity office on 01865 857007 or email mail@sobellhospice.org