A JET-SETTING Gourock girl who is scared of heights will freefall thousands of feet in memory of her late grandad.

Lauren Paterson, 25, will jump out a plane in Dubai to raise funds and awareness to help battle Alzheimer’s disease Her much-loved grandad George Dyer was diagnosed with the cruel disease before his death in 2012.

Air stewardess Lauren, now based in the United Arab Emirates, said: “Myself and my family watched my grandad suffer from this disease for several years.

“The slow deterioration in the beginning and the change in him was hard to cope with.

“Little did we know just how minor this was, when — what felt like overnight — the last phase of the disease kicked in and meant he had to move into professional care and leave his home with his loving wife of over 50 years.

“My gran has been saying for a few years now how she’d like to share her experience and to tell the public not to be scared to ask for help.” George’s wife Betty, 75, who lived with her husband in Moorfoot Drive, has backed grand-daughter Lauren’s freefalling feat.

She said: “She was very fond of her grandad and they were like two peas in a pod.

“They were always joking with each other and she had a great rapport with him.” George played guitar and sang in The Newcomers, a band popular for many years in the Inverclyde area, and was often known by his onstage name, Hank. He was also a keen bowler and a member of Gourock Park Bowling Club.

George previously worked in IBM and was described as ‘full of fun and devilment’ before the onset of Alzheimer’s in 2008.

George and Betty had two daughters, Yvonne and Maureen, and have one other grandchild, Rebecca, 21.

George was 72 when he passed away at the Dunrod Unit in Ravenscraig Hospital in Greenock.

Betty added: “You lose them before they even go into hospital because it’s a different person altogether that I was living with at the end.

“It’s a terrible illness and you don’t know until you have seen it for yourself.

“It changes people completely. He didn’t know what he was doing — it was a shame.

“There’s more help out there now for families.” Lauren, who admits having ‘a fear of heights’ added: “I think it’s crucial to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s and the support available to the people of Inverclyde who have someone close to them suffering from this upsetting disease.” Online donations for Lauren’s appeal can be made by searching ‘Lauren’s Skydive’ at www.justgiving.com