PAT Tansley is not keen on water.

She doesn't mind swimming, although she hasn't done it for the past ten years, and she has the odd paddle on holiday.

But now Pat is throwing herself in at the deep end - literally.

Together with 26 friends, family and colleagues, she is having a go at white water rafting to raise money for charities close to her heart.

Pat suffered from a pituitary brain tumour, which could have taken her sight and even her life.

Pat, 46, who is a teaching assistant at St Luke’s Primary School, Tiptree, suffered years of headaches which would sometimes force her to stay in bed for a week.

Then she started to lose her peripheral vision and went to see her doctor.

Pat was referred for an MRI scan which revealed the brain tumour. She underwent surgery at Queen’s Hospital, Romford, and was in theatre for nine hours.

Pat determined to do something to help the charity Brain Tumour UK which helped her and the Danny Green Fund which was set up in memory of a little boy who died after having a brain tumour.

Brave Pat said: "We are going to to the white water raft area at Lee Valley which was where the Olympics were staged.

"I must be mad. I don't even like water."

To support her, go to www.justgiving.com/teams/rapidrafters