HAIR today, but air tomorrow - that's the plan for Italian barber Sergio Solazzo as he steps out to try parachute jumping.

Last year he had a go at gliding and flying in a small plane, but on Sunday he is taking a bigger step followed by a 12,000ft freefall jump.

He will be accompanied by an instructor for the tandem jump from Brigg, Lincolnshire, and will be raising money for the Hospice in Rossendale Appeal.

Sergio, from Bacup, said: "I can't wait. My customers all know I'm a bit mad, but I don't think many of them really expect me to throw myself out of an aeroplane from 12,000ft.

"I want to take a new look at life from high above the world." Sergio is a popular figure in Bacup where he has lived with his English wife Carole for 16 years.

Carole is a trained hypnotherapist and helped her husband conquer his fear of flying so he could embark on the high rise pursuits.

She has also passed on her skills to Sergio and he dubs himself the hypnotic hair consultant using the technique to help customers with alopecia and other scalp conditions.

Carole said: "I don't think Sergio will need hypnotherapy to make him go through with this - he's talked of nothing else for the last six weeks. It's me that's going to need to stay calm while he is up there."

Sergio is raising money for the hospice because many of his customers have been involved with the organisation and anyone who wants to sponsor his effort should call in to his shop on Market Street.

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