Daredevil grandmother becomes Britain’s oldest female wing-walker aged 88
A GRANDMOTHER has become Britian’s oldest female wing-walker aged 88 years old.
Betty Bromage soared into the record books at 140mph
Betty Bromage soared into the record books at 140mph when she balanced on the wings of a plane at 200ft.
The retired nurse took on the death-defying stunt to raise funds for a new MRI scanner for a local medical charity.
She donned goggles and a woolly jumper as she was strapped to the top of the vintage yellow biplane at Gloucestershire Airport.
Mrs Bromage, who lives in a retirement home in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, beat the record she set for the same feat last year when she was 87.
The gran-of-two, who worked as an A&E ward sister for 45 years, said the ride was a “bit windy” and a “bit wobbly” - but she loved every minute.
She said: “I have always been a little bit of a daredevil and I decided to do it after thinking, ‘What will I do when I’m 90?’
“Then I thought of wing-walking and there was no reason why not, and I thought I might as well do it at 87.
The retired nurse took on the death-defying stunt to raise funds for a new MRI scanner
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“If you had asked me two or three years earlier I would have said no, but something said I should do it. I had never done anything like it before.
What will I do when I’m 90?
“The most difficult thing about it is climbing up onto the wing because it’s hard on the knees, but I had knee pads.”
Pilot Mike Dentith, of Wingwalk Displays, said: “The main thing is that anybody at Betty’s age, the great difficulty they would have is climbing up, but Betty managed it.
“I think it is grit and determination.”
She donned goggles and a woolly jumper as she was strapped to the top of the vintage yellow biplane
Mrs Bromage, a widow whose husband died 13 years ago, said she’ll be back again next year.
She said: “I will keep on going until I can’t go any more, if I’m fit and well enough to do it.
“My doctor said, ‘You’re 88, what do you call old?’ But age is just a number.
She balanced on the wings of a plane at 200ft and has so far raised £1,700 for Cobalt Health
“I didn’t even realise I was the oldest, I didn’t do it for that, but it does make me proud. I think it’s funny.
“I hope it inspires other people. You are never too old.”
Betty has so far raised more than £1,700 for Cobalt Health.
To support her, visit: justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/cobalt/bettyflieshigh