Bradford's Lord Mayor proved he had a head for heights by taking a 128-foot plunge to raise money for his charity appeal.

Councillor Allan Hillary was one of nearly 60 people who abseiled down Bradford's Central Library to raise funds for his chosen charities - the Bradford Outward Bound Association and the Nell Bank Activities Centre in Ilkley.

Saturday's event raised around £2,000, adding to the £40,000 already raised by the appeal.

It was organised by a group of five Leeds Metropolitan University students, who are studying for a BA Hons course in Event Management.

Coun Hillary, sporting a 'b-active' t-shirt to show his support for the Council's campaign to get people more physically active, admitted beforehand he was nervous about the challenge because of his fear of heights.

But the 67-year-old shrugged aside his pre-abseil nerves to amble to the top of the library - via eight floors of lifts and two flights of stairs - before successfully engineering his way down the huge drop with the help of safety ropes.

Coun Hillary said he was delighted at the support he received and said the event served as a fitting tribute to his late wife Pauline, who died in July of cancer.

Mrs Hillary had supported her husband at numerous events since he became the district's first Liberal-Democrat Lord Mayor last May.

Coun Hillary said: "This event, which supports young people, is exactly the sort that my wife supported and I am so grateful for the wonderful support that me personally and the charity have been given at this event.

"It was an exhilarating experience, although I must admit I preferred pot-holing as a youngster to abseiling as a Lord Mayor! It's an old clich, but young people are the future of this city and this event has raised the profile of the charities and subsequent funds for them."

Derek Blakey, 49, of North Side Terrace in Laisterdyke, raised more than £40 for the appeal by taking part in the abseil. He said: "Ninety-nine per cent of the people here today haven't done anything like this before, so it's a great achievement for them.

"Supporting the Lord Mayor's charity makes me feel extremely proud because he is a true man of the people."

Police officer Leanne McFarland, 22, who is based at Toller Lane station and lives in Wibsey, also took the plunge and said the adrenaline rush was greater than being out on the beat.

"I am out arresting people all the time but coming down from the top of the building was more scary than any criminals I have faced or had to arrest as a bobby," she said.

Councillor David Ward (Lib-Dem Idle), 50, executive member for education, and Councillor Keith Thompson (Independent, Wibsey), 67, also took part in the event.

Coun Ward is also the principal lecturer in Event Management at Leeds Met, and oversaw the students as part of their course assessment.

He said: "It was a very professionally organised event by the students and they can be proud of how they organised it."