NEWPORT'S daredevil mayor is taking the plunge for our Sparkle Appeal on Sunday.

Councillor Paul Cockeram will be taking part in an abseil from the city's Royal Gwent Hospital for our appeal - and it is not too late for you to join him.

We launched the Sparkle Appeal last December with the aim of raising £250,000 towards a new £6 million children's centre to be built at High Cross and help 1,200 disabled children in Newport, Torfaen and south Monmouthshire.

Participants in the 100ft abseil must be 12 years old or above on the day of the event and will need to raise at least £100 in sponsorship. Councillor Cockeram took to the skies earlier this month, handgliding during a visit to Heidenheim, Newport's twin city.

Two weeks ago the Mayor announced Sparkle as one of three charities he will support this year.

All participants in the abseil will receive a Sparkle t-shirt, and a certificate of achievement afterwards.

The abseil is the second major Sparkle event of the year after a sponsored walk which raised more than £3,000.

Other fundraisers for Sparkle have included Ellie Lebbon and Chloe Kostanjevec, who turned their fifth birthday celebrations into a fundraising drive for the centre. The girls collected £230 from friends.

Hannah Denman, an employee at the Royal Gwent Hospital put her best foot forward for Sparkle by completing the Cardiff Half Marathon and raising £300.

Schools and businesses throughout Gwent also held Sparkle Days last December with staff and pupils paying to wear a sparkly outfit.

An abseil entry form can be downloaded from the South Gwent Children's Foundation website at www.sgchildrensfoundation.org.ukcall the Appeal Office on 01633 656212, or e-mail enquiries@sparkleappeal.org