A FEARLESS feline-friendly fundraiser from Llanidloes has taken to the skies in aid of a Newtown based cat welfare group.

Soaring hundreds of feet in the air above a Swiss valley, Tracey Oakley, who volunteers with Kellys Kat Rescue, completed a charity tandem paraglide in the Alps to raise nearly £500 for the group, which rehomes stray cats and kittens in Newtown and surrounding areas.

“I was on holiday in Murren in Switzerland and I thought if I was going to do it then it would be great to raise some money for the cats,” she said.

“I was so excited! It was my first experience paragliding but I plan to do it again.

“In the valley there are 72 waterfalls and a lovely view overlooking the Eiger so it’s a terrific descent over the Alps as you come down.”

The traditional Walser mountain village of Murren sits in the Bernese Highlands of Switzerland, and cannot be reached by public road. It was a filming location for the James Bond movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, released in 1969.

“I’m hugely grateful to everyone who sponsored me so I just wanted to say thanks very much to all those who did so, I’m glad we were able to raise some money for such a good cause,” she added.

Tracey’s efforts raised £477, which will go towards the issuing of treatment of cat flu in the Newtown area as well as the organisations ongoing neutering and rehoming programme for stray cats.

Kellys Kat Rescue founder Kelly Healy said the organisation is concentrating its efforts on the Trehafren area, where a number of stray cats and kittens have been rescued over the past few weeks.

“I’m so grateful to Tracey and her team of fundraisers in the Llanidloes area including Barbra Woosnam and Angela Swindell and many more, they have been a massive help when we needed them the most,” she said.

“When getting a kitten people need to factor in the costs such as neutering along with the cost to feed it on a weekly basis and for their regular flea and worm treatment. It is the owners responsibility to do all of this in reality and it needs to be thought about before going out and getting a pet.

“If people need help with the costs then we’re able to assist, we’re offering free neutering vouchers to those who need it and we would urge them to get in touch with us via our Facebook page.”

Anyone wishing to help with costs for the campaign can do so online at: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/kelly-healy-1