THE Cancer Research UK charity is more than £25,000 better off after over 180 Islanders, young and old, abseiled the 120-ft exterior of Liberation House on the Esplanade.

Everyone had to wear something pink as the event was named the Pink Plunge to mark during Breast Cancer awareness month. The majority of plungers descended the five storey building on Sunday 26 October, but due to rain and strong winds, the abseiling was halted prematurely.

As a result, a second date had to be scheduled and the remainder had their chance on Sunday 16 November. The week before the initial date, all of the participants were given a training session at Corbière by a team of qualified instructors led by John Fox of Adventures Unlimited.

Mr Fox and his team ran the event the following week and ensured that all safety precautions were in place. The Pink Plunge was sponsored by investment advisers Spearpoint, whose offices are in Liberation House.

Event organiser Carol Rafferty said: We were delighted with the response and support from Islanders for this new daring event.’ She said that the dedication, support and encouragement from Mr Fox and his team at Adventures Unlimited made the participants feel at ease.

‘The majority said that they would love to do it all over again,’ she said, and a similar event is now scheduled for next spring to raise money for research into prostrate cancer

‘We hope it will be another great fundraising event for Cancer Research and allow more people a chance to abesil one of Jersey’s landmark buildings,’ she said.

• Picture: One of the plungers takes a breather during the 120-ft descent on Liberation House