Britain's Oldest Skydiver, 102, Says 'Mission Accomplished' After Birthday Jump

A 102-year-old British woman uniquely marked her milestone birthday – by skydiving, BBC reported. Manette Baillie undertook this daring feat on her birthday at Beccles Airfield in Suffolk to raise funds for charity. Baillie, who resides in Benhall Green near Saxmundham, has always embraced adventurous pursuits, such as driving a Ferrari around Silverstone at 130mph on her 100th birthday.

After her jump, she expressed feeling "breathless" and admitted it was "a bit scary", adding that she had to shut her eyes firmly. She hopes to inspire others by showing that age should not be a barrier to trying new things. Speaking to BBC Radio Suffolk before her jump, she said she had "no idea" where her thrill-seeking tendencies came from but attributed her active lifestyle to staying fit and healthy.

Baillie was inspired to skydive after learning about an 85-year-old man's experience, declaring, "If an 85-year-old man can do it, so can I." Although she was married to a paratrooper and served in the Women's Royal Naval Service during the Second World War, she had never considered a parachute jump before.

She took on the skydive to benefit three charities: the East Anglian Air Ambulance, the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and her local Benhall and Sternfield Ex-Servicemen's Club. Baillie’s commitment to the air ambulance began after it saved her son's life following a diving accident in 1969. To date, she has raised £9,000 towards her £30,000 target.

Local community members, who have known Baillie since she moved to the area in 1961, gathered at the airfield to support her jump. She humorously remarked that this might be her last fundraising adventure and joked about taking up knitting instead. Baillie’s achievement surpassed the previous record held by Verdun Hayes, who jumped at 101 years and 38 days old in 2017.

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