PUB staff with a head for heights are to take the plunge this summer to raise money for a new hospital.

The five-strong team from the Leigh Arms at Little Leigh are doing a sky dive and abseil to raise funds for the Royal Liverpool University Hospital’s R Charity.

The charity is raising money for the new Royal Hospital, which is due to open next year.

The new £335 million hospital is being built next to the current site, and once built the existing hospital will be demolished.

Leigh Arms staff Rachel Collier from Little Leigh and Adele Jones from Barnton are taking on the abseiling challenge, while fellow staff Mark Holden from Whitegate, Gabby Fox from Weaverham and Rory Hazelhurst from Northwich will be doing a skydive.

Mark said: “This is win, win, win - we have fun taking our lives in our hands, customers and friends get a chance to sponsor this madness and the Royal gets great new facilities and equipment that benefit us all.”

Ged Simpson, R Charity grants and trusts fundraising manager and a regular at the Leigh Arms said: “The pub has a number of customers who have received excellent specialist treatment at the Royal.

“The staff at the Leigh Arms have been brilliant in agreeing to raise money for the new hospital.”

The Leigh Arms team is to take part in a Red Devils skydive on Saturday, June 4 and R Charity’s abseil this summer.

The team has raised £130 towards its £2,500 target via an online donations page, and is having a fundraising quiz night at the pub on Sunday, April 10 at 7pm.

Everyone is welcome to take part, as individuals or teams.

To support the team contact the R Charity fundraising team at fundraising@rlbuht.nhs.uk, call 0151 706 3150 or call in at the Leigh Arms.

To donate to the Just Giving page visit www.justgiving.com/LeighArms-ActonBridge.

When it opens the new Royal Hospital will be the largest hospital in England to have all ensuite single bedrooms for inpatients, and will also have one of the biggest emergency departments in the north west.