'In Alan's memory' - firefighter's widow and sister abseil for charity
by Juliette Fletcher
Abseiling down one of the South's tallest landmarks is no mean feat. But the widow and sister of firefighter Alan Bannon, who died in the Shirley Towers fire in Southampton, did it for a good cause. Using ropes and harnesses the women made their way down the 170 metre Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth.
They were raising money for the charity that helped them through a difficult time - The Fire Fighters Charity. The interviewees in Juliette Fletcher's report are Charlotte Bannon, Alan Bannon's widow; and Lin Trott, Alan Bannon's sister.
Firefighter Alan Bannon's widow Charlotte and sister Lin prepare to abseil Credit: Juliette Fletcher
Charlotte Bannon and Lin Trott have been preparing to abseil down the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth. The women are raising money for The Fire Fighters Charity, in memory of Alan Bannon - Charlotte's husband, and Lin's brother. He died in the Shirley Towers fire in Southampton in 2010.
The Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth is 170 metres high Credit: Juliette Fletcher
Charity abseil for firefighters after fatal Shirley Towers blaze
Firefighters Alan Bannon (l) and Jim Shears (r) died in the Shirley Towers fire in 2010
The widow and sister of one of the firefighters who died in a fire at the Shirley Towers block of flats in Southampton are abseiling down the side of the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth for charity.
Alan Bannon and his colleague Jim Shears died while tackling the blaze in 2010. Alan Bannon's widow, Charlotte - and his sister, Lin Trott, are taking on the challenge for The Fire Fighters Charity.
Today we'll speak to two women who were closest to Alan Bannon - one of the firefighters who died in a tower block blaze. An inquest jury recorded a verdict of misadventure as questions remain over whether it could have been avoided. From that day, July last year, Martin Dowse reports.
The widow and sister of a firefighter who was killed in a fire are preparing to abseil down the Spinnaker Tower to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity.
