SPIDERMAN Jonathan Cole completed a personal challenge while inadvertently thrilling one passing youngster at the weekend.

The 27-year-old cancer-survivor successfully abseiled from the roof of the National Glass Centre, Sunderland, yesterday.

Jonathan, from Hastings Hill, Sunderland, was determined to take part in the fundraising event for Cancer Research UK, as his family is all too aware of the threat of the disease.

Having overcome a brain tumour himself, as a teenager, he saw his mother, Pamela, die from bowel cancer at the age of 55 in November 2000.

Her dying wish was for her family to support efforts into research of the disease. As a result, Jonathan signed up for yesterday's mass abseil, donning the guise of Spiderman, the comic book superhero.

He was one of 50 fundraisers who successfully completed the 60ft drop down the front of the glass centre, under the eye of experts from Newcastle City Council's outdoor services department.

Cancer Research UK fundraiser Jill Campbell said Jonathan's turn to abseil came at a timely moment.

"Just as he was coming down, a family was walking along the riverside footpath with their little boy, who is a big Spiderman fan.

"When he saw Jonathan abseiling down he was thrilled and at the end he got him to sign his Spiderman lunchbox and had his picture taken with him."

Jill estimates the event will raise about £7,000 to back up research efforts by the charity in the region.