Daredevil Leeds pensioner Jean Piper completes 40mph Ilkley zipline charity challenge despite cancer battle

The awe-inspiring 74-year-old has just completed the latest in what has become a long line of adrenaline-fuelled challenges in aid of the Headingley hospice, which cared for her husband Clive in his final days.

His death, from cancer 13 years ago, ignited a burning desire in Jean to support the “superb” work at Wheatfields in his memory and has seen her notch up an impressive array of adventurous fundraisers including five sky dives, a firewalk, a 262ft abseil, a loop-the-loop wingwalk in the skies above Breighton Airfield in Selbyand now a 270m zipwire challenge at Ilkley’s Cow and Calf rocks.

Having battled leukaemia herself “on and off for 20 years”, Jean is now undergoing treatment after the cancer returned two years ago.

But that did not stop her signing up to this weekend’s ‘Zip the Cow 2021’ challenge for Wheatfields, where she threw herself off Ilkley’s famous landmark onto a zipwire and reached speeds of up to 40mph.

The challenge also included reaching the ‘launch point’ itself, with Jean choosing the hardest of the two route options up the rocks, despite having fractured her back in 2018.

She said: “This was one of the things I’ve never done and always wanted to do. So this was a great opportunity, and of course to raise money for Wheatfields.

“It was exhilarating, I really enjoyed it and had lots of family and friends there as well.”

She added: “A funny thing was they didn’t catch me at the other end so I came halfway back. I said ‘Have a got a free go?’

“It’s not dangerous or anything - you’re just hung there, in mid air.”

Born and bred in Leeds, there were perhaps some early signs of her future daredevil exploits when she took up fencing, despite being told it was a “man’s sport” and rock climbing in her 20s - including up the Cow and Calf rocks.

But she said it’s only since Clive’s death that she felt able to explore her thrill-seeking streak.

“He would have died if he had seen me doing some of these things,” she said.

Jean, of Headingley, says is always on the lookout for “something different” to try and raise as much money as possible for Wheatfields.

“I’ve done five sky dives but everyone wants to do it now, it’s nothing new. I just think I have to try and do something new, something different, to raise money.”

She said: “Wheatfields were just amazing. The care - to say it’s free and available to anyone throughout Leeds, it’s incredible.

“Clive spent the last week of his life there. I couldn’t have coped because he couldn’t stand any more.

“The people there, I mean they were coming up to me and asking if I wanted to talk or needed anything. They’re just absolutely superb.”

With the return of her cancer, Jean now has regular visits to the Bexley wing of St James’ Hospital in Leeds to monitor her platelet levels and has been told she can no longer fly while levels are low - sadly ruling out her wish to repeat her favourite fundraiser so far, the loop-the-loop wingwalk.

She said: “I hope my platelets will rise so that I can maybe do more things but I will still continue to do whatever I can.

“My one thing I wanted to do again was the loop-the-loop on a plane. I loved it. If my platelets get high enough I shall definitely do that again.

“And if I’m allowed to fly again I want to do the zipline down Niagara Falls. That’s something I would love to do.”

She knows there is no cure for her leukaemia but remains thankful she does not feel too poorly at the moment - allowing her to continue to support the hospice as much as she can.

“Any illness is from the treatment but not from the cancer itself. Most of the time I feel quite good.

“I know it can’t be cured and I do push myself to keep going.

“I want to spend the rest of my life doing what I can and keeping active.”

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jean-Piper6.