A 94-YEAR-OLD great-grandmother is to jump out of a plane in aid of charity.

Plucky pensioner May Limb, from Chellaston, said she was looking forward to her parachute jump next month as a change from her usual hobbies of playing cards and dominoes.

The former receptionist and dressmaker volunteered to take part in the sponsored skydive after hearing about the work of the British Disabled Flying Association at a coffee morning at the sheltered housing complex where she lives.

Organisers were surprised, but said that as long as May was given a clean bill of health by her GP, they were happy for her to undertake the jump.

May, a widow with two sons, six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren, said: "My doctor thinks I'm mad but I'm pretty healthy, apart from using a walking stick to get around, so he says I'm okay to do it.

"I'm Derby born and bred and have led a fairly active life. I like a coffee and a brandy and I'll definitely be having a little tipple after my jump.

"I'd actually like to have a stiff brandy before I do the skydive but I don't think the officials on the airfield will let me!"

Louise Scotter will do the skydive at the same time as May on November 6 at Langar Airfield, in Nottinghamshire, and the pair hope to raise £6,000 for the disabled charity and the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance.

Louise, 38, has muscular dystrophy and works at East Midlands Ambulance Service's Nottingham Control Centre.

She met May through her granddad, Frank James, 92, who lives in the same housing complex, Chellaston Park Court.

Louise, who is also a qualified pilot, said: "I do a lot of fund-raising for the Disabled Flying Association, including parachute jumps, so I agreed to give a presentation about my work during a coffee morning at my granddad's sheltered housing complex. After the talk May approached me and asked if she could do a charity parachute jump.

"I was very surprised, I certainly hadn't expected that to be the result of my talk, but May is very sprightly for her age so I said I'd be happy for her to get involved."

The pensioner will join a number of other volunteers undertaking the skydive at the same time.

She said: "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous but the people who organise the skydives know what they're doing and hopefully I'll be strapped to a hunky male instructor.

"I don't know if I'm the oldest woman to do a skydive but I'd like to be in the newspaper and I'd like to raise money for a good cause, so if my age means more people are interested then good-oh.

"All the other pensioners who live at my housing complex are hiring a minibus to come and watch me jump."

Supporters can sponsor May online by visiting www.justgiv ing.com/skydivingtosave.