A FEARLESS pensioner with a wealth of daredevil exploits to her name is set for the ride of a lifetime when she takes to the skies to help pilot a Spitfire.

Dawn Goodson isn’t your average 91-year-old great grandmother.

Despite having broken her back twice and suffering from osteoporosis, the Poole woman has previously abseiled down Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, gone down the world’s fastest zipline headfirst at 100 mph, completed the Bournemouth Zip Wire Challenge in 2014, and performed a wing walk at the Bournemouth Air Show in 2016 – which she reluctantly settled for after being refused a parachute jump.

Now, Dawn will be flying high again when she will accompany a pilot to fly a Spitfire over the skies of Oxford on August 23.

Bournemouth Echo: SpitfireSpitfire

The gutsy granny is not, however, just taking on the flight for thrills. She is raising money for the East Dorset and New Forest branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association in memory of her husband John who died from the illness in 2014.

Having already raised thousands for the charity, Dawn shows no signs of slowing down. Ahead of the flight, she told the Echo: “This is my next adventure. I’m not afraid at all, just mad. I have asked whether they’ll late me take the helm at one point – we’ll have to see.

“I am delighted that people have already donated and just hope others will be able to as well, it would be wonderful and would certainly make a difference.

“[My husband] John slept sitting up with a ventilator which had to be monitored at Southampton Hospital. This meant driving him miles in a specially adapted vehicle, with him strapped in the back in a wheelchair, with heavy ventilator equipment. I am now raising funds for another manometer that can be taken to the patient’s home.

Bournemouth Echo: Dawn Goodson with her husband John. Picture: Sally Adams Dawn Goodson with her husband John. Picture: Sally Adams

“These cost over £1,000, so all donations are gratefully received.”

Dawn has been wished luck by several of those who have already donated. One person said: “A Spitfire now, somehow I’m not at all surprised. Well done Dawn, you are phenomenal and John would be so proud of you.”

Visit justgiving.com/fundraising/dawn-goodson5 for more information.