A MELKSHAM pensioner is celebrating her 70th birthday with a skydive and a wing walk for charity.

Nicki Morton-Holmes says the activities were a present from her two children, Kim and Lee, and their respective spouses Carl and Nicole.

“The sky dive was a 70th birthday pressie from them.”

“I’ve always wanted to it, as I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie,” said Nicki, of Ashdown Drive, Melksham, who used to work in the care sector.

Mrs Morton-Holmes, whose birthday was in February, will jump from a light airplane at 10,000 feet on Sunday, April 21 to complete the tandem skydive.

She said: “I am told that after jumping out over the Old Sarum Airfield near Salisbury I will freefall for the first 30 seconds before the parachute opens.”

She plans to take to the air again four weeks later on Saturday, May 18 at Compton Abbas Airfield near Shaftesbury to brave the wing walk.

Mrs Morton-Holmes said: “I’m donating any money I raise to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance as they are not Government-funded.

“I set myself a target of £500 to start with and have already smashed it by raising nearly £1,000.”

She added: “It’s a dream come true, as I’ve always wanted to do it. It’s another two things ticked off my ‘bucket list’.”

The WAA at Semington offered Nicki the wing walk after she mentioned her bucket list ambitions when she contacted them for a t-shirt to wear for her skydive.

She added: “They are a fantastic charity. I know how hard they all work to keep the helicopter flying.

“I just hope I can raise as much as I can for the air ambulance but my husband Brian can’t decide if I am brave or daft.”

To support Nicki, visit her fundraising page at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nickis-jump