A WOMAN whose ex-soldier husband broke his neck took the plunge to raise more than £1,000 for a military charity.

It was fourth time lucky for Lisa Stapleton, who leapt from 13,000ft in a tandem skydive for the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA).

After three cancelled jumps dating back to June last year, Mrs Stapleton, of Shrub End Road, Colchester, finally did a tandem skydive with the Royal Artillery Display Troop, the Black Knights.

In 1986, husband Shaun, then 21, broke his neck and became quadriplegic after diving into a pool in Germany.

After a full rehabilitation at Headley Court in Surrey, Shaun served as a warrant officer in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The charity recently helped open two “homes from home” for families of those seriously injured who are receiving treatment at Selly Oak, Birmingham and in Surrey.

Mrs Stapleton said the money raised would go towards helping to run the homes. On the skydive, she said: “It was absolutely amazing.

“Words can’t describe how great it was.

“I’d like to do it again because it was just such an amazing experience.

“The day it was first supposed to take place, in June last year, was a beautiful day. There was not a cloud in the sky.

“But it was the day when in Wales they had dreadful gale force winds, so the planes couldn’t take off.

“The following two times I drove down, but there were grey clouds and it drizzled all day.”

Visit ssafa.org.uk for more information or see a video of Lisa at watchmyskydive.com/lisastapleton