Flight attendant to jump from plane

A South Holland woman who spends her working life flying is about to leap from a perfectly good plane.

But it’s not one of the Easy Jet passenger jets she crews, and she will be raising money in memory of her husband who died from cancer at the age of 42.

Diane Virden will be heading to an airfield this weekend to take part in the charity skydive to raise money for the cancer charity which helped her husband Simon during his illness.

Simon Virden

He died in 2015 just 19 days after his diagnosis. He had oesophageal cancer which spread to his liver but had no prior symptoms.

“His illness and death was a huge shock to everyone who knew and loved him,” said Diane.

“Macmillan Cancer Support were only in our lives for a short time, but during this time they helped make Simon’s last days comfortable and were a huge help to us,” she added.

The charity skydive has been organised to mark her late husband’s birthday.

“The money I raise will not bring my hubby back, but I hope it will help keep those wonderful Macmillan nurses doing what they do best, to help others in their time of need just like they helped Simon, ours sons and me,” said

Diane, on her charity fundraising web page.

“To this day I can still call them and they will help.”

She flies around Europe with Easy Jet, but this Sunday will see her stepping out of a perfectly airworthy plane at 13,000 feet after taking off from the Sibson Airfield.

Diane is hoping to raise £1,500 for the charity from her tandem skydive and can be sponsored via her Just Giving web page.

Search the Just Giving site using her name.