• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Record-breaking 102-year-old skydiver shares her surprising secret to a long life

Home> Community> Life

Updated 09:17 26 Aug 2024 GMT+1Published 09:03 26 Aug 2024 GMT+1

Record-breaking 102-year-old skydiver shares her surprising secret to a long life

Manette Baillie jumped out of a plane to mark her 102nd birthday

Callum Jones

Callum Jones

A slice of cake and a beer or two seems like the ideal birthday celebration for many, but not for 102-year-old Manette Baillie.

The veteran daredevil, from Suffolk, England, celebrated her 102nd birthday recently in remarkable fashion.

While most people at that grand old age would be slowing down, Manette is turning things up a notch.

Celebrating another year of life, Manette jumped out of a plane over the village of Benhall Green, which she has called home for the best part of three decades.

Advert

To be honest, the former World War II cadet is no stranger to embarking on mad stunts, as she raced a Ferrari around the British Grand Prix track Silverstone to mark her 100th birthday.

Manette Baillie celebrated her 102nd birthday recently. (Sky News)
Manette Baillie celebrated her 102nd birthday recently. (Sky News)

Reaching speeds of 130 miles per hour, there isn't nothing Manette's not afraid to do.

With her latest stunt, a large crowd of Manette's nearest and dearest flocked to an airfield in Benhall Green to watch the grandmother skydive out of a plane.

Advert

In doing so, Manette has raised $13,000 for some of her favorite UK charities.

“You must always look for something new,” she told reporters on Sunday (25 August).

"I was once married to a paratrooper but have never done [a sky-dive] myself."

Of course, Manette wants to top her previous stunt every birthday and when she heard a friend's father who is 85 complete a skydive, she was sold.

Advert

"If an 85-year-old man can do it, so can I," Manette said.

Many will wonder how the Brit is healthy enough to complete such a daredevil stunt at 100+.

Well, speaking to BBC Radio Suffolk, Manette shared her secret.

That's some way to mark it. (Sky News)
That's some way to mark it. (Sky News)

Advert

"I’ve been so lucky to be fit and well that I’ve got to do something with it, that’s really the back of it," she said.

"I can’t just waste it, other people are crippled with arthritis and I’m not."

She added: "Keep busy, be interested in everything, be kind to those around you and let them be kind to you. And don’t forget to party."

Speaking further about the skydive to Sky News, Manette said: "When the door opened I thought, there is nothing more I can do or say. Just jump. Well, I suppose I jumped. I remember my legs going out and it’s a kind of blur. I shut my eyes. We seem to travel at a very fast speed."

Advert

Ahead of completing the skydive, Manette received well wishes from Prince William.

The Prince of Wales wrote: "Catherine and I hear you will be marking your 102nd birthday next week with a parachute jump! Knowing you celebrated your 100th birthday by racing a Ferrari around Silverstone, we are not surprised."

Featured Image Credit: UK Parachuting Services Ltd

Topics: UK News, News

Callum Jones
Callum Jones

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

12 hours ago
2 days ago
3 days ago
  • 12 hours ago

    Mom, 33, issues warning after noticing ‘mosquito bite’ that turned out to be much more sinister

    It's that time of year when mosquitoes are rife, and many of us also spend more time in the sun, so one mom is trying to raise awareness

    Community
  • 12 hours ago

    Chilling past of man who won $167,300,000 lottery jackpot as he's arrested days after claiming prize

    James Shannon Farthing won a life-changing amount of money in April this year

    Community
  • 2 days ago

    7-Eleven employee, 24, who was left brain-dead after manager ‘sat on her’ has died

    Jessica McLaughlin died as her life support was switched off on Wednesday

    Community
  • 3 days ago

    YouTuber legally dies in order to get $50 refund from airline and explains how he did it

    He went through all the stress of 'dying' for the sake of getting back just 50 bucks

    Community
  • Scientists make ground breaking discovery on new organism that gives a new perspective of life
  • Former US ballerina who was freed from 12-year Russian jail sentence speaks out about how trauma ‘changed her life’
  • Man unearths 20-year-old dark family secret after offering to decorate his mom's house
  • Carer of 11-year-old girl that lost entire family in tragic car crash shares major update