A TOWN mayor took a leap of faith when he abseiled down a vertical cliff face in aid of charity.

Coleford mayor Nick Penny recreated the legendary jump by Civil War Royalist at Wintour’s Leap near Chepstow.

With the Wye hundreds of feet beneath him, he swapped his mayoral chain for safety ropes to descend and reascend a cliff face that boasts some ‘extreme’ climbs, raising £1,150 for his mayor’s charities in the process.

“I am extremely grateful to Richard Newhouse and the team from SARA Beachley who made the abseil possible and ensured my safety during this challenge,” said Cllr Penny.

“This challenge was proposed by our town clerk Annie Lapington as a different way for me to raise some money for my charities this year.

“When I saw SARA setting up the climb I thought ‘what have I done?’, but by the end I was thoroughly enjoying it. I think it was about 70 metres, which is not the highest point, but as one of the most vertical it is very challenging.”

Wintour’s Leap is named after Lydney Royalist Sir John Wintour who was being chased by Parliamentary forces in 1645, when he escaped by jumping off a cliff and escaped across the Wye.