A MELKSHAM Oak Community School teacher waved goodbye to four years at the school last week but not before raising £1,600 from a charity wingwalk.

Chantal Dean took to the skies on July 17 to raise as much as she could towards the Lewis Moody Foundation and helping the school in its attempts to fund an outdoor classroom.

The hair-raising stunt at the Chiltern Airpark in Oxfordshire involved the 34-year-old being fastened to the wings of a plane flying at 130mph at several hundred feet in the air for 15 minutes, with a few loop the loops thrown in for good measure.

"It was so exhilarating. I loved every minute of it. I cannot put into words the sense of freedom you get from it, it was just brilliant," said Ms Dean, who lives in Chippenham

"I said to the pilot he could make the flight as big and scary as possible - my friends who came up for moral support thought I was mad but I did not want it to end."

Thanks in part to her efforts, the funds have been secured by the school to build an outdoor classroom over the next year, which will feature an outdoor structure, a fire pit and a kitchen and sensory garden to come at a later stage.

"This was my parting legacy, a gift to them for everything they have done for me," said Ms Dean, who will be the assistant headteacher at Pewsey Vale in September.

"It was quite emotional leaving the amazing staff and pupils but to leave on a high that can provide something for the future is a great way to end on.

“This is a cross curriculum facility that can be used for Science, PE, English, you name it. This can leave a legacy here for the school and the wider community and I am very happy to help towards that goal."

Ms Dean chose the foundation as a former pupil of hers, David Langton, died of a brain tumour a few years ago and as Mr Moody's charity works with HeadSmart, which tries to raise awareness of this issue, she saw it as the perfect fit.

"This is a very worthwhile cause that does great work and means a lot to me personally," she added.