A DARING 74-year-old great-grandmother came down to earth yesterday after wing-walking on a plane at 1,500ft.

Relatives and friends were shocked when Joan Lintern told them she would do the wing-walk for charity.

She could not be persuaded to stay on ground level and is already considering a repeat performance.

"It was great - I'd like to do it all over again," she said.

Despite blustery conditions on the Boeing Stearman's wing, Mrs Lintern said: "It was colder than I thought. If I'd known, I would have probably put more clothes on. But not even the strong wind left me breathless and I certainly was not frightened. The views were wonderful."

Mrs Lintern, who lives at Moorside Dale, in Ripon, North Yorkshire, took off from an airfield near Selby, watched by six of her ten grandchildren, as well as two great-grandchildren. The plane reached speeds of 125mph.

"It was tremendous seeing them from the air and we kept giving each other waves."

The pensioner was invited to take up the challenge by fellow daredevil Jim Ellis-Beech, of Bishop Monkton, near Ripon.

The pair partner each other at the more sedate pastime of whist.

Yesterday, Mr Ellis-Beech, 82, was wing-walking for the fourth time. He said: "It was a bit windy up there, but I still enjoyed it."

After completing their wing walks, the pair took off to complete a range of aerobatics.

"We did loop the loop several times. It was just great," said Mrs Lintern.

Before taking to the air she had visited her GP to check she would not be taking any medical risks.

Mr Ellis-Beech achieved a lifetime's ambition to wing-walk four years ago.

He wife, Val, used to worry about his stunts but not any more. "She says if I can't do what I want at my age, it's a bad job," said the former warrant officer, who was a member of the Army Physical Training Corps for 24 years,

The two pensioners are raising money for Ripon Age Concern and the city's Salvation Army.