An 80-year-old grandmother, a fundraising father and a politician were among daredevils who abseiled down the side of Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital.

More than 140 people helped raise more than £34,000 for charity by descending the 100ft Women’s Centre yesterday.

Builder Keith Green, from Bartlett Close, Witney, took the plunge in memory of his baby son, Harry, who died a day after being born three months prematurely. His twin brother Oscar survived.

Mr Green, 45, was the first to abseil the building and raised almost £400 for SSNAP, the charity which supports the hospital’s special care baby unit. He said: “I’ve never done anything like it before and the motivation was just to help the nurses, who work so hard.

“It must be tough on them when a child doesn’t survive.

“The worst bit of the abseil was the first step off the roof, but once that was done I absolutely loved it – although I was pleased to have my feet back on the ground.

“It was great because David Cameron donated £10 and Gordon Brown sent a pen which will be auctioned to raise more money.”

Grandmother Susan Pickering, from Hampshire, raised about £150 for the hospital’s neurosciences department.

The 80-year-old, who used to live in Cowley, said: “People might say ‘slow down’ at my age, but my attitude is to do these things while you can.

“I’m doing eight abseils this year all over the country, as well as a zip-wire.

“I first got into it during an over-55s course and absolutely love it.”

Dr Steve Goddard, the Liberal Democrats’ parliamentary candidate for Oxford East, took the plunge to raise money for the hospital’s Silver Star unit.

He said: “When my own children were born at the JR, knowing that the unit was there in case of any complications was very reassuring and a great comfort.”