Retford Times reporter Sally Clark found her head for heights when she took up a charity challenge.

The 19-year-old, who joined the Times in July from journalism college, abseiled the 120ft Grosvenor House Hotel in Sheffield.

It was part of a nationwide bid to abseil4life and ‘Go Over the Top’ for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Sally teamed up with her friend Wendy Roper (both pictured right) for the event after a pink press release caught her eye as she was sorting through the office mail.

She said: “Breast Cancer Awareness Month was being launched and a series of fundraising activities had been arranged throughout the country.

“In among the coffee mornings and fashion shows lurked an abseil in Sheffield.

“And having spent the past year living in the Steel City, it appealed to my hidden and slightly more daring nature.”

The pair, among 123 people who took part, raised more than £400 between them, collected from family, friends and work colleagues.

Her report of the escapade appears in this weeks Retford Times.

She recalls managing to startle herself on arrival by confusing the very, very high BT building with the very high Grosvenor House Hotel and how the nerves crept up on her as she waited to be taken up to the top.

“As I stood on the edge of the 120ft hotel, I made a mental note never to agree to do anything like this again, although it was my idea,” Sally said.

“It was harder than I expected. I expected to float down with ease but found I had to concentrate to make sure I didn’t let go of the rope.

“As we reached the bottom I felt a sense of achievement and also an unexpected pride. I was proud that I hadn’t gone to pieces.

“I was proud that I had lost my apprehension the minute I stepped off and most of all I was proud that together, the money we raised might just change a breast cancer sufferer’s life for the better.”

All over now!

She looks back on the event now as ‘ a brilliant day’ and is looking forward to her next challenge.

She said: “As I stood at the bottom after the abseil, I made a mental note to do this again as soon as I could.”

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