HUDDERSFIELD shop owner Martyn Leach has tackled a loopy challenge for charity.

Mr Leach, who runs Martyn's Trawler Shop in Dalton, was sponsored to sit in a plane while it looped the loop three times at 3,000ft.

He raised £350 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Mr Leach, who is chairman of Holmfirth Round Table, was a passenger in a small Chipmunk plane, piloted by Peter Ray, at the recent Sherburn Air Show.

Mr Leach said: "It was a wonderful experience. The views were fantastic and looping the loop was great fun.

"What a memorable experience - and a wonderful way to raise funds for Yorkshire's only air ambulance.

"The paramedics and crew do a remarkable job and I am delighted to have been able to support such a worthwhile cause," he added.

If anyone else wants to ``go loopy" like Mr Leach, they should contact the Yorkshire Air Ambulance fundraising office on 0845 120 60 60.

* The Yorkshire Air Ambulance helicopter is based at Leeds/Bradford Airport.

* It costs £1m a year to run and relies on donations.

* Since October, 2000, it has been scrambled more than 3100 times, carried more than 500 patients to hospital and helped with more than 1,700 incidents.

* It can fly patients to hospital in just minutes.