A DAREDEVIL grandfather is on top of the world after smashing his own world record with a deathdefying bungee jump, Former cabbie Ray Woodcock, 73, of Rayleigh Road, Eastwood, beat his own previous world record for the highest jump with a full body submersion into water with his 465ft leap.

The jump took place from a special 500ft crane at Chepstow Quarry, in Gloucestershire – the site of the highest bungee jump in the UK and now home to the National Diving and Activity Centre, due to its deep water.

Earlier this month the Echo reported how Mr Woodcock carried out his jump clearly beating a UK record but he had to wait more than two weeks before Guinness officials confirmed the world record.

The original world record was set in 2006 in China with a 164ft jump from a helicopter. They held the record for seven years until August 18, 2013 when Ray beat it with a jump of 380ft from a crane.

He had to wait for his latest jump be confirmed as a new Guinness World Record Ray, who was sponsored by EE in exchange for trying out their newwebcam, said: “Ever since the first contact on behalf of EE at the beginning of the year offering me funding for a new extreme record to launch their new 4GEE Action Cam my dream was it would result in a Guinness World Record.

“I jumped off of the crane at 465ft. I knew it was a UK record, but as there was not a Guinness adjudicator present all photo, video and statement evidence had to be sent to Guinness.

“The 16-day wait for clarification was unbearable. Eventually It was confirmed it was a new world record.”

He is now hoping for more companies to come forward to sponsor him for more extreme world record attempts “before I get too old”.

Since starting his fundrasing adventures in 2005 Mr Woodcock estimates he has raised more than £30,000 for various local charities.

His other feats include climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and driving a team of huskies 250km across the Arctic and a trek across the Nevada desert.

Ray, a taxi driver for more than 30 years, performed his latest jump to raise money for the Southend Taxi Drivers Charity for Children which takes sick and disabled children on an annual outing. In the past he has raised money for Havens Hospices.