AS a manager was about to jump 15,000 feet out of a plane to raise funds for pupils, vandals were torching her pre-school.
Winsford mum Tina Musker plucked up the courage to do a charity skydive with her 16-year-old son Mikey in the Lake District on Sunday.
Just as she was about to take off on her daring mission, she heard about an arson attack at St Chad's Pre-School on Gladstone Street.
Winsford mum Tina Musker skydiving over the Lake District to raise funds for St Chad's Pre-School
Yobs broke into the site at around 3.30pm and set fire to a fence and tree, just yards from the main building.
"It's heartbreaking to think on what should have been a positive day has been saddened by this news," said mum-of-two Tina. "I was stood on the airfield waiting to get in the plane and being told that the fire brigade was at our pre-school.
Tina Musker, manager of St Chad's Pre-School, raised £650 towards a new outdoor classroom
"I was so cross. We're trying to raise money and jump out of an aeroplane yet these mindless vandals can come in and do this. It is really frustrating."
Tina, who has worked at St Chad's for six years, is determined not to let the arson attack spoil her vision for the 40 children she supports.
"I absolutely love my job," she said. "We have worked really hard over the last 12 months doing the inside. Now we are looking to extend our premises a little bit.
"We have raised £650 towards our outdoor classroom. There are lots of thing I want to put in place."
Finding the nerve to do the tandem skydive was a huge achievement.
"I was terrified," said Tina. "I don't like heights and I don't like confined spaces so I was worried about getting into an aeroplane. But it wasn't as bad as I thought."
Tina's son Mike, 16, loved every minute of his skydive
Tina and her son, Mikey, who has just left Winsford Academy to train as a mechanic at Reaseheath College, received professional tuition from expert instructors.
Surprisingly Tina felt so calm on board, she was the first fundraiser to leap out into the sky!
"I had to dangle my legs over the edge and lean forward and they push you out," said Tina, who was harnessed to an experienced instructor.
Tina Musker absolutely loves her job at St Chad's Pre-School and is hoping to introduce lots of new ideas
"You are just free falling, it is incredible! Within seconds you are flying at 125mph! I kept looking down, the views were absolutely amazing! I could see Lake Windermere, Blackpool Tower and the Isle of Man."
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Her mum, dad and seven-year-old daughter Rebecca were waiting on the tarmac as Tina and Mikey landed.
"Mikey absolutely loved it and is desperate to do it again."
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