Abseiling down a 50ft cliff would prove a challenge for most, but not even a heart bypass and fear of heights will stop grandmother Edna Cole.

The 68-year-old mother-of-seven is set to abseil down a cliff in Peacehaven to raise money for the Mothers' Union and celebrate the anniversary of her bypass op.

While the pensioner says she is "petrified" of the challenge ahead, it would take wild horses to keep her away.

She said: "I am terrified to be quite honest but I am absolutely determined to do it.

"I am scared of heights but I shall just have to shut my eyes and hope for the best because really I am the world's worst coward."

Mrs Cole, who lives in Mount Pleasant, Newhaven, with her husband Fred and youngest daughter Jade, is the eldest in a team of 20 who are taking part in the abseil next Friday.

The Mothers' Union members decided to "throw themselves off the cliff" to promote marriage and family life and raise money to support their work with parents.

When Mrs Cole was first told of the union's unusual fund-raising idea by organiser Rosemary Cutbush she thought it was a joke and laughed. She said: "I said I would do it if Rosemary would because I didn't think she would but she called my bluff.

"I was astonished but now I have given my word so I have to do it."

She believes the worst moment will be stepping off the edge but despite her fear she says it is nothing compared to her heart bypass operation.

The grandmother had suffered chest pains for a number of years but fell gravely ill in August last year and was whisked into the Royal Sussex County Hospital for surgery.

She said: "The surgeon told me I could drop dead at any moment because I could have had a massive heart attack and that would have been that.

"Obviously I was worried but I didn't really have any alternative so I decided to go ahead with it because I wasn't ready to meet God just yet."

And within six days Mrs Cole was back at home recuperating and since then has found a new lease of life.

She said: "I couldn't believe it. I couldn't walk from my house to Sainsbury's before, which is not even quarter of a mile, and now I look after my grandchildren five days a week and it's good fun."

Full of fitness once again the intrepid grandmother is now looking forward to the abseil and has already collected hundreds of pounds in sponsorship for the Mothers' Union.

She has been a stalwart member of the Union for nine years and believes wholeheartedly in the work it does round the world.

She said: "I think it's a way of helping young mums and lots of young parents who haven't got their natural families around them and literally need support."

Anyone who would like to sponsor Mrs Cole and her group in their abseil can contact her on 01273 514031.