A British pensioner has become the world’s oldest wing walker days before his 99th birthday.
Harry Heasman took to the skies strapped to the top of a vintage biplane in a daring stunt above an airfield.
The brave pensioner completed the stunt at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, Cambridgeshire, on Saturday (24 May), as reported by What’s The Jam.
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The former wartime factory worker flew aboard a 1940s biplane piloted by Martyn Carrington.
During the six-minute flight, the aircraft reached around 1,000m in the air.
Harry broke the previous Guinness World Record held by John Symmonds, who completed a wing walk aged 95 in 2023.
The challenge was organised through Harry’s care home wish programme.
He also used the stunt to raise money for Lennox Children’s Cancer Fund after losing both his wife and stepson to cancer.
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“When I used to go to the cinema as a boy, I used to see what they called an American flying circus,” Harry told the Times.
“And I used to think, ‘Oh, that looks interesting. I’d love to do that’.”
The pensioner had reportedly struggled with mobility and previously needed help climbing stairs.
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But staff at his care home supported him with exercises and physiotherapy ahead of the stunt.
Karolyn Sisto, manager of the care home, said: “We did everything we could to support Harry to do this in a safe kind of way.
“Collectively, we’ve all been doing that just to try and get Harry as strong as he can be to undertake this.”
Martyn , from Ethel Dares Wing Walking, said he was “proud” to be involved in the record-breaking challenge.
Harry has already set his sights on his next challenge.
The nearly-99-year-old now hopes to complete the London Marathon with support from his physiotherapist.
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