A LEGAL eagle has soared in a charity challenge which also paid tribute to her brother.

Family and friends gathered at Chiltern Park Aerodrome, in Ipsden, Oxfordshire, on Saturday to watch Marie Pym, a residential conveyancer at Clarke & Son Solicitors, soar into the sky on top of a bi-plane in a wing walk.

Marie took on the wing walk feat in support of Ark Cancer Centre Charity and its campaign to raise £5million towards a new NHS cancer treatment centre that will be built in Basingstoke.

Her challenge raised £1,000 for the cause.

The day was also a tribute to Marie’s brother Adie Lewis, who passed away in August 2016 aged 50, after a battle with cholangiocarcinoma – incurable cancer of the bile duct.

Speaking after touching down, Marie, from Basingstoke, said: “I was nervous getting into the chair on top of the plane, but it was a great experience doing the actual flight. It felt like a fairground ride as the plane went up and down, but I am so pleased to have done this - and I said a few words to Adie while I was up there.

“It was lovely to see so many people here today to support me, and I am grateful to everyone who has sponsored me and have helped me to reach, and pass, my £1,000 fundraising target.”

Mother-of-two Marie has a fear of heights but this did not stop her from joining family members and doing a sponsored skydive in 2015 in support of Adie and AMFF – the cholangiocarcinoma charity – and on Saturday she faced her fears again, even managing a few waves during her 15-minute flight.

The Clarke & Son team, which is based in Winchester Road, has raised £55,000 for Ark over the last three years, and in 2018-19, it is hoping to add a further £15,000 to the fundraising total.

Marie’s achievement has now added to the running total which stood at more than £4,000.

And 54-year-old Marie is now passing on the fundraising baton to her daughter Jade, 24, who will be one of a seven-strong all-women Clarke & Son team who are aiming to abseil down the Emirates Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth on Monday, August 27.

Mark Jones, director of fundraising and communications for Ark Cancer Centre Charity, said: “Marie is an amazing lady, and it was great to see her achieve this awesome feat, and also smash her fundraising target.”

Largely being funded by Hampshire Hospitals, plans are progressing to locate the new cancer treatment centre on the existing Basingstoke hospital site.