volunteers threw themselves off a building at the weekend to raise money for charity.

The abseil at Darlington's Memorial Hospital was organised by the Royal National Institute for the Blind, and 170 people took part.

Among them was Zoe Moran who works at the Royal County Hotel, Durham City.

Zoe, 24, had always wanted to do something daring, and when an advert for the abseil was posted up at the hotel, she decided to take the plunge.

She said: "Although I'd never done anything like it before I have always wanted to do something daring.

"The worst bit was getting over the top and it was definitely harder than I thought it would be, but the adrenalin rush was amazing."

Zoe enjoyed it so much, she has signed up for a parachute jump to raise more money for blind and partially sighted adults and children in the region.