Blind woman raises thousands with wing walk

Mel Griffiths said she would have happily gone up again straight away

A blind woman has raised thousands of pounds after fulfilling a childhood dream of performing a wing walk.

Mel Griffiths, from Arnold in Nottinghamshire, has had failing vision since birth but has always dreamed of taking on the feat after seeing a Blue Peter presenter doing a wing walk in the 1980s.

Mrs Griffiths, 60, achieved her ambition on 8 August at Wickenby Aerodrome, in Lincolnshire, on an aircraft flying at 600ft (183m), at speeds of around 120mph (193km/h).

She has now hit her target of raising £5,000 for the Guide Dogs charity.

Mel Griffiths said she had been inspired by a 1980s Blue Peter episode

Wing walking involves the passenger being strapped to a fixed frame on the top wing of a biplane.

Mrs Griffiths said: "It was probably the most exciting and exhilarating thing I've ever done, and I could quite easily have got straight back up there and done it again.

"When you don't have sight, although your other senses aren't improved, you are more aware of them.

"It was loud up there – you could hear the noise of the plane and the wind.

"I could feel the plane ascending and descending and the g-force on my face as the plane turned.

"They dipped the plane around a bit, which made it a fun flight - it wasn't just a little fly around!"

Mrs Griffiths chose to raise funds for Guide Dogs as she has been supported by seven guide dogs and is currently partnered with her guide dog, Elsa, a golden retriever-German shepherd cross.

Mel Griffiths has had seven guide dogs and wanted to help the charity in return