A daredevil woman who is gradually losing her sight is taking part in a charity skydive to raise money for the charity which gave her vital help when her life was turned upside down.

Francesca Davies, 42, of Great Waldingfield, near Sudbury, will fall two miles through the sky in the tandem dive with an instructor to support the West Suffolk Voluntary Association for the Blind, which was there for her when she lost the sight in her left eye 11 years ago.

But the plucky skydiver who is registered blind and is now facing losing her right eye, is also setting out to show that the disability is not an automatic bar to this kind of adventure many believe it to be.

“I just want to prove people like me can do things. If I can help even one person it will be well worth it to put them back on the right lines,” she said.

Mrs Davies was helped by the association, which is based in Bury St Edmunds, when she lost the use of her left eye at just 31. Now a volunteer at the centre herself, Mrs Davies says funding is vital to keep the important service open to support people at a particularly difficult time.

“It is devastating to be told you are losing your sight and it changes your life. I found it very hard to accept but the society gives you a purpose and helps you see the light at the end of the tunnel,” she said.

Mrs Davies will be joined on the jump by Mark Sturgess, a resources manager at the centre, and his 19-year-old daughter, Jessica.

The trio hope to raise cash to support the charity, which costs £120,000 a year to run and is entirely dependent on donations.

Mr Sturgess, 49, said: “Francesca is an incredible woman. She is an inspiration to be around.”

The skydivers will jump at Old Buckenham Airfield in Norfolk in March and hope to raise more than £1,000 for the association.