IT WAS less of a teddy bears picnic and more of a teddy bear drop-in at a Suffolk charity event.More than 100 people gathered to see 40 teddy bears doing parachute jumps off the top of All Saints Church in Sproughton.

IT WAS less of a teddy bears picnic and more of a teddy bear drop-in at a Suffolk charity event.

More than 100 people gathered to see 40 teddy bears doing parachute jumps off the top of All Saints Church in Sproughton.

The event, held on Sunday, raised £85 for the church, which will go towards general maintenance costs.

The bears were placed in baskets and lifted up to the tower via a pulley system, and then members of the church were charged with releasing the bears.

It cost a £1 per teddy bear to enter the competition.

Liz Bennett, church warden, said: “Everyone had to make their own parachutes for their teddy bears and each bear got a certificate for jumping.

“Before the bears jumped, they had to have the nurse look at them to see if they were fit enough to jump.

“If they were, they got a sticker, and if they weren't, they got a plaster and still jumped.

“It was a really fun day. We were lucky with the weather.”

As well as the teddy bear parachute jump, there was a paper aeroplane competition for adults and children in the bell ringing chamber, which was also £1 to enter.

There were prizes awarded for the paper planes that travelled the furthest.

Refreshments were available and many families enjoyed a picnic in the grounds of the church while the activities took place.

The next event at the church will be a tea party to raise money for Christian Aid. It will take place in the church hall on September 21, at 3.30pm.

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