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Nostalgia: £2,000 fundraising attempt takes off​

Back in 1978, Irene Lewis - landlady of the Top House in Haughton Green - was preparing to leap 2,500ft from a plane... 

She was aiming to raise around £2,000 to buy a specially adapted van for severely disabled Mill Lane resident Eric Hyde.

“Folk thought I was puddled when I suggested a parachute jump,” said Irene, “but it had to be something different to get enough people interested.” 

The brewery which supplied beer to the Top House had pledged sponsorship along with customers, relatives and friends.

Many of the regulars were planning to make the trip to Flookborough near Grange-over-Sands to witness Irene’s leap of faith.

Wishing he could be ‘up there’ with his mum, her son Steven, 11, could only dream of what the experience would be like as he built his latest model aircraft. 

Main image:

FLYING HIGH: Irene and son Steven.

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