Holly leaps to a record in the skies (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Holly leaps to a record in the skies

2:10pm Tuesday 7th October 2008

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Winchester-born Holly Budge has entered the record books as the first woman ever to jump at 29,500 ft out of a plane over Mount Everest.

After she returned to earth (with barely a bump) at 12,350 ft - the highest drop zone achieved by a parachutist - the 29-year-old skydiver said it had been an unforgettable experience.

She said: "It was amazing. There are views that you don't get anywhere else in the world. It's seriously beautiful. All you could see were mountains popping out the top. It was incredible."

Holly, who was born at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital and attended Four Marks Primary School, Alton Convent and Alton Sixth Form College, has worked in the extreme sports industry for eight years as a skydiver and rock climbing instructor.

She has made more than 2,000 jumps from planes, filming travellers skydiving in New Zealand.

For the Everest jump she had an oxygen cylinder strapped to her waist to prevent her lungs collapsing and her parachute was three times the normal size because the air was so thin. Her free fall reached speeds of up to 190 mph as she hurtled towards the snow-capped peaks of the world's highest mountain in Nepal.

Holly's mother, Linda, was there to see her daredevil daughter make a perfect landing after sailing through the skies - and into the history books.

Mrs Budge, 58, a housewife, who lives in Goatacre Road, Medsted, near Alton, accompanied Holly on a six-day acclimatisation trek to near the base camp. This involved walking seven hours a day to get used to the extremely high altitude and low pressure which can cause dizziness and sickness.

Holly's proud father, Nick, who spoke to his daughter after her jump, said: "She was very excited. She said it was awesome and that she was 'flying on gas,' as she put it. My wife was very relieved to see her down safely."

Mr Budge said his daughter's ambition was now to climb Everest. Holly was joined by 32 other professional and amateur skydivers. A Canadian man touched down first. Holly was the second jumper and the first woman to jump out of a plane over Everest.

Holly aims to raise £30,000 for the Hampshire Autistic Society, the Himalayan Trust and sports charity Regain.

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