WEST Devon's very own Superman will jump from a plane 15,000ft high in the air on May 20 to raise money for Rainbow Child Foundation.

Dr Mark Eggleton from Northlew, who is a GP at Tavyside Surgery in Tavistock, decided to take on the challenge after one of his patients gave him the idea.

Dr Eggleton, who has been a doctor in Tavistock for more than 15 years, said: 'I decided I would do a skydive after a lady in her 70s did one, as it was her life ambition, and I thought to myself "if she can do it then I can do it". This is a fun thing to do for charity and I get to do it in fancy dress as Superman.

'The reason I am doing this in aid of Rainbow Child Foundation is that it is a global foundation and has a medical slant.'

The foundation is a non-profit organisation that gives 100% of its profits to helping underprivileged children around the world. So far the foundation has reached 25,000 children in eight years by providing schools with play pumps, sanitation, farm seeds bank, and HIV awareness programmes.

Dr Eggleton's colleagues at the practice have agreed to pay for the jump at Dunkerswell so that every penny he raises will go direct to the charity.