A VERY wet and windy weekend did not dampen the spirits of more than 500 people who attended the sixth annual World Teddybear Freefall Parachute Championships in Pidley on Saturday. More than £2,500 was raised in 30 minutes at Pidley s Southview Farm. Thr

A VERY wet and windy weekend did not dampen the spirits of more than 500 people who attended the sixth annual World Teddybear Freefall Parachute Championships in Pidley on Saturday.

More than £2,500 was raised in 30 minutes at Pidley's Southview Farm.

Through the skill of both pilots, Captain Kevin Moule of FRA Aviation and Alan Meredith the Chief Pilot of the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge, all teddies jumped without one refusal.

The teddy to land closest to the cross on the drop zone was number four, sponsored this year by The Barn Restaurant, Stroud Hill, Pidley, which won the luxury weekend for two at the Marriott Hotel in Huntingdon. As soon as the restaurant won the prize, it was donated back to the charity.

Gil Boyd, chairman of Pidley Mountain Rescue Team, which organised the event, said: "The pilots were amazing, ensuring the large crowd with lots of small children enjoyed every minute of this unique world event, which raised a staggering total of £2,597 in just 30 minutes."

He added: "The stretcher bearers of Somersham Brownies were brilliant in their respective recovery techniques as the teddies landed.

"The MAGPAS new recruit MAGPAWS (the teddy bear) was a little scared, but put his best paw forward and barely had time to take a breath when he found himself jumping on his first tandem freefall jump with teddy number 10, one of the experienced teddies on the team."

Money from the jumps will used for good causes by Pidley Mountain Rescue Team.