Gliding 90-year-olds fly high

Rene Hale has taken up gliding at 91

Three residents of a nursing home have taken up gliding - in their 90s.

Peggy Barrett, Rene Hale and Brenig Owen had their first lesson on Tuesday.

They set up the Nonagenarian Gliding Club after a friend, Grace Nunan, had a flight for her 90th birthday.

But bad weather prevented two fellow residents of Guild House in Gloucester from taking their maiden flights.

Welshman Mr Owen, 93, said: "It was more wonderful than frightening.

The fliers braved poor weather

"It was an experience I have wanted to have all my life."

The club was inspired by Mrs Nunan's birthday flight last month.

She raised nearly £5,000 for the homelessness charity, Emmaus.

Friends at the home decided to follow her example and reach for the skies.

Mr Owen said they decided to award certificates to anyone over 90 in Gloucestershire who followed Grace's example.

Solo fliers

"But some 80-year-olds got a bit narked because they wouldn't be considered," he said.

"So Grace decided to have a special certificate for octogenarians."

The Cotswold Flying Club, which took the pensioners up on Tuesday, has two regular solo fliers in their 80s already.

Brenig Owen wished he had taken up gliding earlier

But they are youngsters compared with Peggy Barrett, who will be 97 this month.

She and Rene Hale, 91, were the first to lift off from the airfield at Aston Down, above the Stroud valleys.

Then heavy rain set in and Mr Owen - a Welsh-speaker who used to broadcast on BBC Wales - had to wait 45 minutes for a break in the weather.

He said: "First of all we were buffetted by the wind and then it was very noisy, but then quite suddenly it was quiet.

'Quite magical'

"We were catching thermals and going up 100 feet at a time.

"To be free of the pull of the earth was quite magical."

Once they were up the instructor showed him how to operate the joystick.

The Cotswold club wants adventurous fliers

Then he suddenly told Mr Owen: "Now I'm going to leave it to you."

Mr Owen said: "It was quite incredible to feel you were in charge of this beautiful thing."

Peggy Barrett, a keen swimmer, said: "I would definitely like to go up again, perhaps even for my 97th birthday."

Irene Hale and Brenig Owen also took up surfing last year - but only on the internet.

They have their own web pages, written as part of a silver surfers project.

On hers, Mrs Hale declares: "I am 90, but I sometimes feel 190."