A father-of-three from Costessy is taking to the skies to fundraise for the hospital that cares for his son who was born with a rare heart disorder.

%image(14742818, type="article-full", alt="Baby Charlie, who has a rare heart disorder, at five months old. Photo: Liam Ferdani")

Liam Ferdani, 32, and his wife Melanie, 30, were devastated when their unborn baby was diagnosed with congenitally corrected transposition at a 22 week scan.

Baby Charlie was treated in intensive care at Great Ormond Street Hospital, after he was born on August 2 with the arteries in his heart the wrong way around.

Mr Ferdani described finding out about his son's condition as: 'a punch to the stomach.'

He said: 'Its just heartbreaking to hear that something's wrong.'

%image(14742819, type="article-full", alt="Mr Ferdani described finding out about his sons condition as: a punch to the stomach. Photo: Richard Jarmy Photography [smile@richardjarmy.co.uk - Richard Jarmy Photography]")

'After all they've done for us, I know me raising a grand is just a drop in the ocean, but at least it's something.

The skydive will be in March, at Ellough Airfield, near Beccles.

And thanks to the generosity of a local sponsor, Dennis Bacon, owner of 38 St Giles B&B and Alchemista Coffee in Norwich, the £50 deposit and £150 cost of the skydive are being covered for Mr Ferdani, meaning that every penny of the £1,000 he hopes to raise can go towards supporting the work of Great Ormond Street.

Mr Bacon said: 'He's a good guy and when we found out we wanted to do something to help him out.'

%image(14742820, type="article-full", alt="Liam, 32, and Melanie, 30, Ferdani on their wedding day. Photo: Liam Ferdani")

Mr Ferdani was inspired to start fundraising after watching the Pride of Britain awards with his eight-year-old daughter.

He said: 'I always wanted to do something like this.

'I watched the awards, and thought if all these people can do it, then so can I.

'Caitlin was watching with me and she said 'Daddy, can we do something for Charlie?'

%image(14742821, type="article-full", alt="But little Charlie is described as a "happy, smiley baby." Photo: Richard Jarmy Photography [smile@richardjarmy.co.uk - Richard Jarmy Photography]")

'I gave her a list to choose from of things I could do and she picked jumping out of a plane.'

Charlie is still under the care of Great Ormond Street, and is likely to need surgery on his heart in the future.

Doctors are sent to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (NNUH) to examine him every few months.

But his dad, who works in Norwich at Hughes Electrics, described him as a 'happy, smiley baby', and added: 'He's hitting all his targets and even getting quite heavy.'

Mr Ferdani has raised more than £500 since beginning his fundraising page in October, and said he would be ecstatic to raise more than £1,000.

Donations can be made to Liam's fundraising page.