TENSION flowed from faces to ropes as 60 volunteers abseiled down the Whitefriars building in Canterbury to smash our £35,000 CLIC Sargent appeal target.

Novices and those with more experienced heads for heights scaled the 70ft drop off Whitefriars Street, raising £8,844.93 between them to help pay for a children’s community cancer nurse.

Maria Jones, 40, from Spring Lane, Canterbury, who raised £330 said: "At the top I was saying 'get me out of here' but now I feel great. Cancer is something I have in my family and doing this seemed like a good idea."

Maddie Reynolds, 25, from Herne Bay was first to go.

She said: "I enjoyed it. I put my name down for the morning session but didn’t mind being first. I had a 21-year-old friend who died a year ago from cancer so this is something very close to my heart."

The two ropes were sponsored by Canterbury-based businesses Specsavers and Your Move which both had staff taking part.

First-timer Rebecca Arnold, 20, from Herne Bay raised £200. She was inspired to do the abseil while reading about it in the Kentish Gazette and joined senior editor Bob Bounds for the journey down.

She said: "I just decided to do it there and then. I was very nervous but Bob really helped by talking to me."

A six-person team from the Lady Dane veterinary practice at Faversham inspired one another to complete the abseil.

Nurse Kate Batelsmeier, 23, said: "My legs were shaking so badly at the top and they still are now. I feel great though and I want to do a sky-dive next!"

Vet Cormac Higgins said: "I am still a little bit shaky but we’ll be off to the pub to celebrate in a minute."

Practice receptionist Bonnie Bassant raised £160.

She said: "I feel good and want to do it again now. My daughter asked if I was going to walk or fly down. I think I definitely walked it today."

Expertise was provided by members of Avalon Adventure based in Cornwall while food and drink on the day was donated by Eat and McDonald’s.

The abseil means we have now topped our £35,000 target to provide a children’s community cancer nurse in this area for a year.

CLIC Sargent community fund-raising manager Dan Powell said: "I am absolutely delighted with the result.

"I cannot thank readers enough for their support. Also I would like to say a big thank-you to Whitefriars and the rope sponsors as well as Canterbury Sea Cadets who helped out on the day."