Paula Whiting braved the elements when she joined the Utterly Butterly Display Team in a wing walk for Charity. She took to the skies with Europe's only professional wing-walking team to raise awareness of The Essex Autistic Society.

Reaching speeds of 150 mph, Paula flew on the top wing of a 1940's Boeing Stearman biplane, 500ft up in the air. She took off from RFC Rendcombe Airfield in Cirencester on Tuesday 21st September 2004.

Paula insisted she was looking forward to the daredevil stunt. "It is something I have always wanted to do and it seems the perfect opportunity to raise awareness of the Society and funds at the same time" she said.

Paula is  Manager of the Society's Jigsaw Study Centre in Gosbecks Road. She hopes to raise at least £500 for the Essex Autistic Society in order to help modernise the current IT equipment at the centre.  Jigsaw provides structured activities, including art, crafts, woodwork, PE and computing for adults with autism.

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around them, making everyday social interaction more difficult. The condition is thought to affect around 500,000 people in the UK and 14,600 in the area of Essex, Southend and Thurrock.