Source– A 101-year-old woman has proved that age is just a number after breaking her own world record as the oldest abseiler.
Doris Long once again conquered 560ft-high Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Britain’s tallest building outside of London.
Wind and rain did not deter Ms Long, who has been honoured with an MBE for her charity fundraising for a local charity.
Ms Long decended 310ft down the popular tourist attraction. She last performed the feat on her 100th birthday in May 2014.
The pensioner, nicknamed Daring Doris, who has previously abseiled alongside new Top Gear host Chris Evans, took up the challenge to raise money for the Rowans Hospice in Waterlooville.
Ms Long, who first abseiled at the age of 85, said: ‘I don’t feel afraid and never have, I just have a placid nature.’
The centenarian, who is 5ft tall and weighs eight stone, added: ‘I have a look down at the crowd, I am normally looking to see how the other person is getting on.’
Ms Long, who has a daughter, three grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and two great great grandchildren, received cheers and applause from the crowds below as a band played The Proclaimers’ hit I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) as she reached the bottom of the tower.
So much for that greatest generation thing, eh? These are the people that clawed this country out of the Great Depression, and stormed enemy beaches. What these people don’t need is our accolades for doing extraordinary irrelevant things (that typically and almost exclusively involve gravity.) It’s like every year when we get to see George HW Bush hop out of a plane strapped to some Navy Seal’s belly button. I guess we’re all supposed to be impressed? Not this guy. If George HW wants me to celebrate his ageless vibrancy, I want to see him doing things that he was doing 40 years ago. Like sucker punching George Dubya’s tutors after getting his report card, or putting the wood to Barbs in an Oval Office desktop session. That would be impressive.
Like ole’ Doris here. She accomplished a feat that has only been equaled a thousand times over (just this week) by Mohican window washers. The star in this story is the maker of the harness and rope that maintained its integrity despite the strain of all 8 stones (Whatever that is?) of Doris’ person. What would be more impressive is if we learned that Doris’ drove herself to that tower while maintaining speeds at or near the posted limit, and parked her vehicle without it crashing through the front door of a Mobil Mart. Beyond that, there’s not much here worth mine or anyone else’s internet clicks.
Can I Be Frank & Crew? 