FOUR skydivers are taking a giant leap on Sunday to boost an appeal to send disabled Penny Roberts for further treatment at a specialist Miami clinic.

Penny, who broke her neck in 1995 in a skydiving accident, needs to raise 20,000 dollars for the trip which she hopes might lead to her being able to stand again.

Penny, a former nurse who lives in Steeton, travelled to Dr Bernard Brucker's Biofeedback clinic in January with her four-year-old son and three assistants. The treatment went very well and she planned to return next year for further progress.

Dr Brucker then e-mailed Penny saying he wanted her to have extended treatment with a lot of physiotherapy. He also wanted her to have a special neck brace that would mean she could stand again.

Now two of Penny's support assistants, Joanne Wadsworth from Ilkley and Anna Pratt from Silsden are taking part in the four-strong fundraising skydive at Cark airfield in Cumbria.

"Sponsor forms went up in local shops, around pubs etc. and now we think they will raise quite a lot of money," Penny said.

She is confident that a return trip to Miami will be a big boost on her road to better mobility. And she believes that sheer will power is also a positive help.

"I believe that my progress is simply the result of the power of prayer and hard work at getting back to normal," she said.