THE sky will be the limit for a woman hoping to help break the UK formation skydiving record.

Audrey Rowe, from Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside, hopes to leap into the record books on Saturday in support of the British Red Cross.

Mrs Rowe and 63 other experienced female skydivers from across the country will don red jumpsuits and take to the skies of Langar, in Nottinghamshire, in three aeroplanes.

The skydivers will leap from the planes from more than 18,000ft.

Linked together via arms and feet, they will form the iconic Red Cross emblem across the skies.

The record attempt will mark the end of the Red Cross Appeal Week.

Mrs Rowe said: "It is fantastic when so many people come together to achieve the same goal.

"We have been jumping for years and cannot wait to try to beat the record, particularly as it is for the British Red Cross to end a very special week."

The UK Women's Foundation Skydiving Record stands at 60 women and was set in 2004 at the same venue.

Mrs Rowe has been skydiving for 18 years and works as a nurse manager when she is not leaping out of planes.

Others taking part include a city lawyer, magazine editor and tax consultant.

Leigh Daynes, from the British Red Cross, said: "The jump will be a must-see spectacle.

"You do not need to jump out of a plane to support the Red Cross.

"Why not adopt your local skydiver online at www.redcross. org.uk/appealweek. That way, everyone across the UK can show their support."

The appeal week aims to raise about £1m, and is themed around the charity's mission to "mobilise the power of humanity so that no one need face a crisis alone".