A daredevil gran has proved age is just a number by taking to the skies strapped to the top of a plane aged 80.
Fearless Janet Mills took on the wing walk as her terrified family watched from below – with one grandchild branding her “Mad Nanna”.
But while her eight grandchildren were busy screaming, Janet was loving every second.
READ MORE: Giant UFO spotted hiding behind cloud
- Advertisement -
She said: “I wasn’t at all worried, I was so excited actually.
“Everyone else was petrified for me and one of my grandchildren called me ‘Mad Nanna’, which made me feel even better actually.
“I have eight grandchildren who were doing much of the screaming but I could hear my daughter’s scream too.”
Janet, from Hampsthwaite near Harrogate, took to the skies above Leeds East Airport for the challenge, as reported by What’s The Jam.
She described the experience as one of the highlights of her life.
- Advertisement -
She said: “For sure the wing walk was one of the best things I’ve ever done.
“It’s up there with travelling the world – places like South-East Asia, South America, China and Australia.
“In our 60s and into our late 70s we classed ourselves as the ‘wrinkliest backpackers in town’.”
- Advertisement -
The adventurous gran has so far raised £820 for the Macular Society after being diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, nine years ago.
The condition affects central vision and has no cure.
Janet has regular hospital appointments for injections designed to slow its progression.
Her eyesight has gradually deteriorated and she stopped driving two years ago.
She said: “I use glasses for long vision but the deterioration in my sight has been gradual over time.
“It’s worsening for reading, particularly reading up close, and I decided to stop driving two years ago.
“It’s horrible and I have to rely on my partner or public transport, but we do still get out and about.”
Despite knowing her sight is likely to continue deteriorating, Janet is determined to stay positive.
She said: “The middle of my vision is a bit blurry, but it’s not bad.
“I know one day I will be at the point of being sight impaired, but not just yet.
“I’m just going to go with the flow because what more can I do?
“I have tools to help me read, I have the injections and I’m happy how I am.”
Janet said she was grateful for the treatment available through the NHS.
She said: “I’m very optimistic by the fact that we have these eye injections.
“They’ve not been around longer than about 20 years, so if I’d developed this a few years earlier I might have lost more of my sight by now.
“These injections keep sight loss at bay and for that I’m very pleased to have them – I think eventually we’ll find a cure.”
The Macular Society says almost 1.5million people in the UK are living with macular disease, the country’s biggest cause of sight loss.
AMD affects more than 700,000 people, primarily those aged over 50.
Macular disease can leave people unable to drive, read or recognise faces.
Money raised through challenges such as Janet’s helps the charity provide support services and fund research into future treatments and a potential cure.
Janet said she never expected her stunt to raise so much cash.
She added: “Getting £820 was something I never imagined.
“I’ve thanked so many people and they’re just as overjoyed, even though they think I’m mad.
“I’m definitely up for doing something next year as well.”
READ MORE: Vegetarian horrified after Vinted bikini arrives in recycled NANDO’S takeaway bag
