All smiles for Ginny in free fall

Obiter sometimes wonders whether these photos are clever set-ups that take place about six feet above the ground, but we are assured that Ginny Hallam, a trainee at Nottingham firm Berryman Shacklock, really did drop 14,000ft in a 120mph freefall which was jerked to a more sedate descent by the parachute opening after 30 seconds.

Ms Hallam raised 400 for the Anthony Nolan Trust and says she is keen to have another go.

Obiter's own experience of such a jump is that, given the location of the straps around the thighs, the opening of the parachute at such a speed is distinctly more painful for men than for women.

This can somewhat temper male enthusiasm to repeat it, so Ms Hallam is welcome to it.