Daredevil grandmother takes to skies for wingwalk for fifth time

Daredevil grandmother takes to skies for wingwalk for fifth time
A 93-year-old grandmother has taken to the skies for a wingwalk for the fifth time after being inspired by a TV advert for a chocolate bar.

Betty Bromage strapped herself to the wings of a biplane to raise money for the charity Sue Ryder, while performing a full loop, completing a new Guinness World Record.

It was the fifth wing walk for the daredevil pensioner from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire — despite having arthritis in her neck.

'I was in my late 80s when I first tried this. Before that the most dangerous thing I did was riding horses!

'Wing walking is not something I had ever really thought about, but I wanted to raise funds for charity so I started to look into the things I could do.

'At my age I can't run, so I looked for other ideas and took inspiration from the Crunchie wing walking advert.

'I thought "I reckon I could do that" and that's what started me off!'

Since then, Ms Bromage has completed four wing walks, the world's fastest Zip Wire in Snowdon and abseiled down the 161 foot Eagle Tower in Cheltenham.

She has raised more than £23,000 for local charities through her high-adrenaline fundraising.

Her fifth wing walk was on Thursday, August 4, with AeroSuperBatics at Rendcomb Airfield, near Cirencester.

'I want to prove that I can still do it,' she said. 'As you get older things aren't as easy as they used to be, but I really want to give it a go.

'My neck is a lot better than it was as my osteopath has been really working on it — at one point I couldn't even turn my head.

'Being able to get up onto the plane and back down again is achievement enough for me.

'My dear daughter-in-law and grandsons back me up all the way.'

Ms Bromage first took to the skies aged 87-year-old, and became Britain's oldest female wing-walker.

For her first flight, she was strapped to the wings of a 1944 Boeing-Stearman during the death-defying stunt before flying some 500ft above the ground — while travelling at 90mph.

The fearless pensioner raised more than £1,100, with all the money going to Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

As a precaution, the former nurse chose to wear a neck brace during the flight.