PENSIONER Joan Lintern normally keeps her feet firmly on the ground.

But the 74-year-old widow has shocked her family, friends and neighbours by announcing she is taking to the skies - wing-walking on a plane thousands of feet in the air.

Joan was challenged to wing-walk by her whist partner, Jim Ellis-Beech.

Jim, 82, is no stranger to wing-walking and other daredevil stunts which would frighten the life out of most people.

Joan, who lives at Moorside Dale in Ripon, North Yorkshire, said: "When Jim asked me to do a wing-walk I think he thought I was going to refuse. But I thought I would show him by saying yes. He didn't believe me at first, but I'm going to do it."

She added: "When I decided to go ahead, I thought I had better go to the doctor and ask him what he thought. He told me there was no medical reason why I shouldn't do it - but hastily added he wouldn't try it himself."

Joan, who is raising money for Age Concern, will be strapped by her feet to the wings of a plane on August 26. And on the same day Jim will be soaring skyward on a separate plane.

The pair will take off from Brayton airfield, near Selby, and fly over Elvington airfield, near York.

"I've tried para-gliding and loved it. You get such a nice view up there," said Joan, an organiser for Ripon Lunch Clubs, which provides meals for the elderly.

Joan says her family were shocked when she announced her mission.

"But after things had sunk in and they realised I meant it, my daughter said she was very proud of me for doing such a thing."