Soldier's family leap from plane to win Help for Heroes

The mother and sister of Private Ben Ford, an 18-year-old soldier killed in Afghanistan, dived from the skies to raise money for charity in his memory.

Jane and Emma Ford jumped 13,000ft from a plane and have so far raised £5,264 in sponsorship, £1,000 of which will go to military charity Help For Heroes, with the rest spent on parcels for frontline troops.

Following the jump, at Langar Airfield, in Nottinghamshire, Jane said she had thought of her son as she leapt from the plane.

She said: "When I was up there, as I was about to jump, I said "I love you" to Ben.

"I don't want a memorial to Ben but to keep him in people's hearts and let them know we've done this for him. He wouldn't want to be forgotten."

Ben was killed in an explosion in Helmand Province while serving with the 2nd Battalion the Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters).

He died on September 5 and was the youngest of nine to lose their lives during the regiment's six-month tour of duty last year.