The over-50s flying high after airline appeal

Race Welch, a retired grandfather, has joined the cabin crew training programme at Gatwick Airport

An older generation of adventurers are finding a new career in the skies by joining an initiative launched by EasyJet to train as cabin crew at Gatwick Airport.

The budget airline's campaign hopes to encourage people over 50, career-changers, and those looking to "unretire" to apply and take up the new challenge.

"Get out of that armchair, get into that aircraft. Life is supposed to be an adventure and this certainly is," said 65-year-old retired grandfather, Race Welch.

EasyJet said 74% of over-50s in the UK that it asked said it was the perfect time for a new career, and 67% considered returning to work.

You're never too old to fly, trainees on the programme say

The number of new recruits aged over 50 has more than doubled, and those joining as cabin crew over 60 has quadrupled, EasyJet said.

Lisa Rogerson, who taken up the initiative, said: "I'm a military wife so I've kind of been around - brought up three children. So I went to the open day and to be honest, it was amazing.

"It was almost a new start at our age, that doesn't normally happen."

Of the 2,000 people surveyed by the airline, 71% believed that their age would stop them being accepted for the job of cabin crew, while 16% believed they could not apply above the age of 30.

Francesca Hicks said: "I was actually living in Cornwall for 34 years but both my children left home so I decided it's my turn now and moved up to London to find myself a new career."

With only a few weeks before the new recruits finish their training at Gatwick Airport they said they could not wait to embark on their new career.