A brain tumour patient from the district faced up to her fear of heights by abseiling down a landmark building to raise money for charity.

Lisa Brassington, 46, of Station Road, Baildon, raised more than £2,000 for Brain Tumour Research by lowering herself down 100m from Portsmouth's tallest building, Spinnaker Tower.

Mrs Brassington, who described the experience as exhilarating, completed the challenge along with 40 other people and was watched by her husband of 12 years, Tony Pike.

She said she found it harder than expected and focused on getting to the bottom as quickly as possible.

Mrs Brassington was diagnosed with a low-grade brain tumour four years ago and the location of the tumour meant it could not be fully removed. Doctors said she wouldn't have long to live.

She said: "The prognosis I have been given is to expect to live for three to five years but this is just statistics and something which I do not dwell on. There are so many things I would like to do and I have decided to live life.”

Mrs Brassington, who thanks her husband for his support, started acting classes and appeared as an extra in Emmerdale. She is also learning to sail, with the ambition of crewing a yacht across the Atlantic and is also working with a playwright on a film.

Four months after her diagnosis, she underwent a craniotomy procedure, where she stayed awake and used an iPad so surgeons could determine how the operation was affecting her eyesight, speech and recognition of objects.

She said: "I was very frightened before the operation but it went well. It was brilliant, unreal even, unlike abseiling, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again if I was told I needed to."

Brain Tumour Research helps fund a £1 million programme of research at its Centre of Excellence at the University of Portsmouth.

Further partnerships announced last year with Queen Mary University and Imperial College will pave the way for a £20 million investment in brain tumour research over the next five years.

She said: "My diagnosis means this is a cause very close to my heart, this is something which can affect anyone. Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer , yet just 1 per cent of the national spend on cancer research is allocated to this devastating disease."

If you would like to sponsor Mrs Brassington visit: www.justgiving.com/Lisa-Brassington1.