A bus driver raised £1,675 after taking part in a 12,000ft charity skydive.

Stagecoach employee John Sabine , from Sandgate, took part in the tandem dive at Headcorn in December in memory of his friend’s granddaughter.

Hannah Ward, of Ormonds Road, Folkestone, died of ovarian cancer last October, aged just 23.

The money was for the Pilgrims Hospice in Ashford, which had cared for her in her last two years.

Mr Sabine said: “It was a fantastic experience but I wanted to do it for Hannah because she was so young and I am close friends with her grandfather, David Pollock.

“Also, I lost my own father to cancer many years ago.’’

The cheque was presented to Dierdre Mews, of the Pilgrims Hospices fundraising department, at Folkestone Rowing Club in Sandgate Hill, Sandgate, on Sunday .

Hannah’s mother, Anita Ward, said: “We wanted to help raise awareness of ovarian cancer, especially in young women.

“But we also wanted to help the Pilgrims Hospices because the Ashford centre had cared for Hannah for two years, giving her palliative care, pain control and aromatherapy. They were fantastic with Hannah and the whole family.’’

Hannah had mostly been an outpatient but had to move there in the last six weeks of her life when she became increasingly ill. She died there on October 5.

Relatives are continuing to raise money for charity in Hannah’s name.

Last autumn her sister Eloise went on a sponsored bike ride from London to Brighton for Cancer Research.

A sponsored seafront walk will take place from the Onyx Club in Folkestone to the Murco service station area, Seabrook, at 11am on March 21.

It is being organised by Hannah’s other sister, Abbey , and will be for Ovarian Cancer Action. Anyone wanting to make a donation can do so at www.justgiving.com/J-Ward2