SUSPENDED on a rope halfway down the 212ft tower at Derby Cathedral, the Mayor of Derby let out a cry.
"Let me down!" she shouted to the amusement of onlookers and well-wishers.
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Mayor of Derby Lisa Higginbottom abseiled from the top of Derby Cathedral to raise money for her charity fund. Near the bottom of the descent she turned herself upside down on the rope.
Lisa Higginbottom had kept the fact that she is afraid of heights secret until she reached the bottom of the rope and safely back on terra firma.
But she also admitted that it was only knowing she was raising money for good causes that spurred her on her daredevil abseil.
She said: "If it wasn't for the fact that I was doing this to raise money, there is no way you would have got me doing that.
"It was good ? frightening but good.
"The worst part in some ways was going up the stairs because I'm petrified of heights so, when I got to the top and looked down, it was horrible. But once you are on the way down, you feel more comfortable.
"There is the rope you're attached to and then a safety rope, so you have to keep thinking to yourself that, even if you lose control of the one you've got, you're going to be fine."
Councillor Higginbottom took on the challenge on Saturday ? the day after her birthday.
Her aim was to raise money for Rainbows Children's Hospice, in Loughborough, which is one of her chosen charities for her year in office.
By the time she leaned back and started to descend the outside of the tower, a mob of onlookers had gathered to cheer her on.
"Why don't you clean the windows while you're up there?" shouted one wag.
Ellie Smith, 30, who works at the Royal Derby Hospital, was passing with a friend and decided to stop and watch the Mayor's descent.
She said: "I've done one abseil before and that was from a bridge in the Peak District.
"It was good fun but not as high as the Cathedral tower.
"I'd love to give it a go here in Derby but I might have to stop off at Ye Olde Dolphin for a drink before I did."
Kevin Corocoran, from Derby Mountain Rescue, helped co-ordinate Saturday's abseil.
He and his fellow volunteers provided the ropes, support and experience to help Miss Higginbottom.
He said: "We are only too happy to help the Mayor to do this fund-raiser.
"She did really well considering she told us afterwards that she's afraid of heights.
"We are in the process of organising our charity abseil from the Cathedral tower, which we do once every two years, next October.
"Maybe she'll have another go."
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