A GREAT Sankey woman jumped in at the deep end and risked becoming shark bait to raise money for a diabetes charity.

Regional fundraising manager for Diabetes UK Stephanie Lawless raised more than £350 by completing a danger swim with creatures of the deep including 10 ft long tiger sharks, nurse sharks, wobblegongs and southern stingrays at the Ellesmere Port Blue Planet Aquarium. The 29-year-old, of Harrogate Close, said: “As a fundraiser I have done a few daft things for charity in the past but this was the scariest so far.

“But I’m really pleased I did it and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a challenge and a different way to raise funds for charity.”

Around 297,000 people have diabetes in the north west and some 65,000 have the type two strain without knowing it.

Helen Pattie, north west manager of Diabetes UK, added: “The condition can go undiagnosed for up to 10 years and 50 per cent of people already have signs of complications by the time they are diagnosed.

“If current trends continue, we predict more than four million people to have diabetes in the UK by 2025.

“It is possible, however, to reduce the number of people developing type two diabetes through improved education and awareness of the known risk factors.”

To donate to Stephanie’s fund visit justgiving.com/stephwillbesharkfood or anyone interested in raising cash by diving with sharks should call Diabetes UK north west on 644565.