Well-wishers have made a grand gesture to an abseiling pensioner from Petersfield ahead of her annual leap for a Hampshire charity.

Serial fundraiser Iris Holt will abseil down the Spinnaker Tower in her famous polar bear onesie for The Rowans Hospice at midday on Sunday, August 10.

The 89-year-old is no novice to taking the plunge as she’s completed close to 20 for the good cause since her first 19 years ago.

But the figure she’s raised for the Rowans this time around is one of her best yet with supporters donating £1,040 at the time of writing.

She said: “Because everyone is watching the pennies it’s a tough time for hospices like the Rowans at the moment, so every bit helps.”