At 97, Betty Bromage is heading back onto the wing of a plane.
The Gloucestershire woman said she took up adrenaline sports to “challenge” herself after serious health problems, including a stroke that still affects her mobility.
“The last thing on earth I want to do is lie in bed and have people run around after me,” she said.
Bromage has been wing walking since 2016, taking part for fun and to raise money. Her next wing walk is due on 4 August and will raise funds for the stroke unit that supported her.
The Cheltenham world record holder said she became more adventurous after moving to an assisted living facility and finding she had a lot of free time.
She said the idea came from an advert she remembered from 1991.
“I remember, donkeys years ago, seeing a Crunchie bar advert, and there was a lady stood on top of a plane.
“Then that came to me, I thought I’d like to have a go at [wing walking],” she added.
In her 60s, Bromage suffered a spinal injury that left her paralysed for three months and forced her to learn to walk again. She also suffered a stroke in August, which left her with a fractured pelvis.
“I can’t do so many things. I’m nearly blind, so that doesn’t help, and I can’t read, messages come on my phone and I can’t see who they are from. It’s frustrating,” Bromage said.
But she added: “I know if somebody helps me up [onto a plane], I can get up there.”
Four years ago, aged 93, Bromage set the Guinness World Record as the oldest female wing walker.
As part of a fundraiser for the end-of-life and bereavement charity Sue Ryder, she completed stunts including a loop-the-loop and a barrel roll.
She is now planning to break her own record with a wing walk at RFC Rendcomb Airfield in Cirencester, raising money for the “marvellous” stroke unit at Cheltenham General Hospital that cared for her.
Steve Bangs, CEO of Pegasus Homes, which runs the assisted living facility where Bromage lives, said: “Betty is a truly inspirational individual and living proof that later life should be about new experiences, with age being no barrier to adventure.
“We are all looking forward to cheering her on again in her next record-breaking endeavour; though most of us are happy to do so from slightly closer to the ground.”
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