A DETERMINED mother who is scared of heights is preparing to abseil down an Olympic monument on what would have been her late daughter’s 18th birthday.

Jemma Sawford, 47, of Clacton, gave birth to baby Ruby at Clacton Hospital in 2002 when she was 29 years old.

Tragedy struck when Ruby died as a result of cot death at just five months old.

Jemma, who has a daughter and two sons, says Ruby’s memory lives on and the family talk about her regularly. is still fondly thought of and frequently comes up in conversation.

She said: “Ruby was my first daughter and I remember being so happy to have a girl.

“She was named after the Rod Stewart song, Ruby Tuesday, which was played at her funereal.

“I remember Ruby as the beautiful baby she was and she is often spoken about by both myself and my family.

“I do often wonder what she would be like now.”

Jemma who is scared of heights, is now planning to abseil down the twisting and towering ArcelorMittal Orbit, which was built ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

She is tackling the daring challenge both in memory of Ruby and to raise money for the Lullaby Trust, which provides support to parents who have lost their children to cot death.

Jemma will brave the dramatic 114-metre drop on January 25 next year on what would have been her daughter’s 18th birthday after her eldest son Jake generously paid for the experience.

She said: “I am absolutely petrified of doing this abseil because I am scared of heights, but I am very determined to do this and I am doing it in memory of Ruby.

“My family and I have done various events before to raise money for The Lullaby Trust but this for me is the most challenging yet.

“The trust supports cot death parents and it has helped me a lot over the years. It also gives lots of support if you the go on to have another baby, which I have done twice.”

To sponsor Jemma’s abseil and donate to her fundraising efforts visit justgiving.com/fundraising/jemma-sawford2.