CLEANING manager Margaret Goodey conquered her fear of flying to see her grandson being born in Australia before taking part in a charity abseil.

Mrs Goodey, from Fyfield, near Abingdon, was present at the birth of grandson Harrison Goodey near Perth in May after steeling herself to get on a plane.

It stood her in good stead on Sunday when her head for heights helped her step off the top of Unipart House in Garsington Road, Cowley, in an abseil for Sobell House Hospice in Headington.

Mrs Goodey, 60, was joined by Clare Healy, 61. They are both cleaning supervisors for St John’s College in Oxford.

Mrs Goodey said: “I flew to Holland in the 1990s but I was so petrified I didn’t want to fly again.

“But my son Martin, who’s an oil worker, lives in Australia and when I found out his wife Caroline was about to give birth I plucked up the courage to fly out.

“They invited me in to the hospital to witness the birth – it was an incredible experience.”

Mrs Goodey decided to raise funds for Sobell House by taking part in the abseil because the hospice cared for her father in the early 1980s before he died.

She said: “My dad Fred Goodey was 66 when he died from stomach cancer. I’ve done quite a few charity things over the years, including the Race for Life, but I wanted to do something for Sobell House because the staff created such homely atmosphere for dad.

“I would like to raise at least £400. We were 100ft up on the roof of Unipart House and it was very scary going over the top but it was worth it for such a good cause.”

Mrs Healy, from Marston, Oxford, said: “I don’t like heights either but I’m glad I did this.”

People taking part paid £15 to register and were asked to collect a minimum of £100 sponsorship.