A bold bunch of dedicated volunteers and supporters from the Mabe-based donkey sanctuary, the Flicka Foundation, are planning an extreme fundraising event in the form of a sponsored skydive this weekend.

The charity’s Skydive For Donkeys event will raise vital funds for the care of the sanctuary’s 110 equine residents and will see participants jumping out of a plane at 10,000ft - taking in views of the Cornish coast line before hurtling towards the Atlantic Ocean at 120 mph.

The charity has recently launched an urgent appeal to cover the costs of expensive veterinary care for the animals that live at their sanctuary and say they have had carried out an unprecedented number of animal rescues in the past year. The subsequent high number of veterinary, farrier and equine dentist call-outs to the sanctuary have already exceeded their animal healthcare budget for the whole year.

It can cost over £3,000 for the rescue of one donkey or horse and the sanctuary's monthly vet bills for ongoing care, check-ups, medications, x-rays and vaccinations now average around £4,000. Charity director, Judy Giles, said: “We urgently need to raise the funds to be able to continue to offer rescued donkeys a home at our sanctuary and to offer a high level of care to our existing residents, so we wanted to come up with a fun, exciting sponsored event to help raise funds.

"We are a relatively small charity, but receive calls to rescue donkeys and horses on a regular basis. We are simply not able to help them all due to a lack of funds, so each and every fundraising event is crucial to our work.”

Yard assistant Claire Billington, of Helston, is taking part in the skydive: “It’s safe to say I’m terrified, but I am really looking forward to this challenge of a lifetime," she said. "It is so great to know that all the sponsorship I’ve raised will go towards helping all the beautiful donkeys and horses that I work so closely with.”

The Flicka Foundation has taken in over 600 animals in the 21 years since its inception, most of which have been rescued from conditions of abuse, neglect and abandonment and given a safe home for life at their sanctuary.

The Skydive for Donkeys event is due to take place this weekend at Perranporth Airfield and the charity is hoping it raises much-needed funds towards its urgent veterinary care appeal. You can find out more about the appeal and Flicka’s work by visiting their website: flickafoundation.org.uk/vet-care-costs.