DAREDEVIL twins will jump out of a plane with a parachute to raise money for St Lukes Hospice where their late father was a patient.

Stacey and Leanne McDonagh, 21, said they will be thinking about their lorry driver dad, Terry McDonagh, when they complete individual freefalls from 10,000ft with other skydivers on Saturday, April 21.

Stacey, a hairdresser at Fusion salon in Streatfield Road, Harrow, said: It was just after Christmas 2010 he found out he had cancer. It started in his kidneys and spread to his lungs and it was in August 2011 he died, aged 49, having entered the hospice as an in-patient a few weeks before.

The staff at the hospice were really good and really supportive and we wanted to raise money because its such a good cause.

Stacey said Leanne, who works at Sports Direct store in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, signed up for the challenge first and soon persuaded her similar-looking, but not identical, sibling to take the plunge.

The sisters, who live with their mother Eileen Wicks, 47, and their stepfather in Blundell Road, Edgware, have raised £100 each of their individual £400 targets.

Stacey, a former pupil of Woodcroft Primary School in Edgware and Copthall School in Mill Hill along with her sister, said: "We have never done anything like this before. I'm scared and nervous but Im looking forward to it.

"Leanne's the same as we have quite similar personalities although I think she can jump out of the plane first."

The hospice provides palliative care for the terminally ill from its headquarters in Kenton Grange, Kenton, headquarters and through its Hospice In Home outreach service.

The charity has raised in excess of £220,000 towards a target of £250,000 to mark its 25th anniversary this year.

The Observer is helping the charity through our Showing We Care campaign as a result of which it is hoped readers donations will bring in contributions towards the total, which is already being spent expanding operations such as the Hospice At Home service.