A north Suffolk widow is due to jump out of a plane today and descend thousands of feet by parachute in memory of her dead husband.

Melanie Barker, 47, of Longbeach Drive Carlton Colville, near Lowestoft, is scheduled to do a sky dive at Ellough airfield to raise funds for the East Anglian Air Ambulance, East Anglia's Children's Hospices and Headway.

She was due to be joined on her jump with 11 members of her family and friends in tribute to her husband, Paul Barker, an electrician who died in January, aged 54, from a heart problem. Today was due to be their 16th wedding anniversary.

Mrs Barker, who works at Great Yarmouth-based C-Mac, said she was very excited about her jump and hoped to raise as much money as possible from it in memory of her husband. Earlier in the week she raised �2,000 for the air ambulance by organising a fun football event at Carrow Road. Mrs Barker is a Norwich City season ticket holder, as was her husband.

To make a donation please email Mrs Barker at scruffy.barker@virgin.net