Daredevil grandma beats fear of heights with wing walk

By James Gamble via SWNS

An 80-year-old daredevil grandma has conquered her fear of heights - with a wing walk.

Brave Suzanne Gratton says she'd always wanted to do a wing walk and finally realized her dream after clambering onto a Boeing-Stearman plane.

The pensioner was cheered on by her two children and two grandchildren - who all thought she was mad for taking on the challenge.

But after spending 10 minutes flying at more than 100mph at dizzying heights of up to 700 feet Gratton says she's glad she did it.

The adrenaline junkie, from Maldon in Essex, also managed to raise £850 for Parkinson's and neurological charities.

"It's something I've always fancied doing," Gratton explained.

"I did a parachute jump about two years ago so I thought, 'I've overcome my fear of heights now'.

"It was fantastic."

Gratton completed her wing walk at Headcorn Aerodrome in Kent attached to a Boeing-Stearman plane that was once used for pilot training during WW2.

The aircraft soared at between 80 and 110mph at heights of between 100 and 700 feet for ten minutes before bringing her back down to Earth.

Having ticked the activity off her bucket list, Gratton has now moved onto her next, slightly less fearsome challenge of learning the ukelele.

"I did have a fear of heights," she continued, "but you don't have time to think about it when you're up there, so that overcomes it.

"The thing that frightened me most, because I'm 4ft 11, is how I was going to climb up onto the wing.

"When I first got up there I did think, 'Oh God, what am I doing up here?'.

"You are right above the propeller.

"We had to wait for another plane for about three minutes, but it felt much longer.

"But once you're up there you just look at the scenery."

As well as shortening her bucket list, Gratton also managed to raise £850 for charities focused on Parkinson's and other neurological decisions.

She says she was inspired to fundraise for neurological charities by her work at a tea room in Tiptree in Essex, where she has worked for seven years.

"I thought I might as well do it for a reason," the grandmother-of-two said.

"I raised money for Parkinson's, dementia and other neurological problems in the hope that one day, they can find a cure."

Fearless Gratton was cheered on by her grandchildren Cameron, who's nearly 18, and Rosie, 14, along with their father Adam and her daughter Amanda.

"I'm glad I did it," she said. "My granddaughter was the only one who said she would like to do it.

"They all thought I was mad to do it, but they all clapped me when I came down and I think they were quite proud of me."

As well as learning the ukelele, Gratton also hopes to travel to Churchill in Canada nearer her 81st birthday in November to see the polar bears and cross another item off her bucket list.

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