Celina's skydive is right on time for clock

Celina Worraker took time out from preparing for her exams to leap jump 13,000 feet from a plane to raise £5,000 to fix the old clock tower at The King’s School.

The clock - which was commissioned in 1888 - has been broken since 2014.

The 16-year-old Year 11 pupil made the sky dive on Sunday at Sibson airfield.

She said: “I wanted to raise money for the clock. I have lived on Park Road for 14 years, and remember when it used to chime.

“It is part of The King’s School family, and I thought it would be nice to get it working.

“I am a bit of a daredevil - I love roller coasters and racing cars, but I have never done anything like this.

“I set up a Justgiving web page, and there was a Masonic event which raised £3,000.”

Despite taking on the skydive on her own, Celina said her mum was more nervous on the day of the jump than she was.

She said: “I was more excited than nervous. It has been delayed a couple of times, so it was the build up of anticipation that was the worst bit.

“Hanging over the edge waiting to jump was also a bit of an experience.

“The view was amazing. The clouds looked like fluffy unicorns.

“My mum, dad, brother and boyfriend came along to support me. My mum had been panicking for days - she was more nervous than me. They are all very proud of me though.”

Headteacher Darren Ayling said he was very grateful for Celina’s efforts - but he would not be joining her in a skydive soon.

He said: “We had a local resident come forward with £20 to fix the clock in 2015, and we thought we should start a fundraising campaign to get it fixed.

“We also received £20 from another resident asking us not to get it fixed, as it used to chime through the night.

“Thanks to Celina’s fundraising efforts, we will be able to get a more modern mechanism which will mean we will be able to programme it so it doesn’t chime after a certain time. We should be able to get it fixed soon, which is very pleasing. In the current climate we would not have been able to afford to fix the clock, as we are working hard to get teachers in class.

“Celina’s father wrote to me asking if it was possible for her to do it. We are incredibly grateful for what she has done.

“It was a fantastic effort from Celina - but I don’t think I would do a skydive.”

The clock was commissioned in 1888 with a grant from the Diocese of Peterborough, and was built and installed by watchmaker Whatley Paviour - who was also responsible for donating the Town Hall Clock to the city of Peterborough.