Dorset grandmother aged 102 realises ice skating dream

A grandmother celebrated her 102nd birthday by ice skating for the first time since she was a girl.

Eileen Pickering took to the rink in Bournemouth after staff at her care home arranged the experience.

She began skating after ice hockey matches at her local rink in London when she was a young girl but struggled to find a venue for her passion when her family moved to Dorset.

The centenarian said skating again felt like a "dream come true".

Remembering her childhood, Ms Pickering said: "You're free, I used to fall over and cut my knees. I could go backwards and started to do a waltz."

• Listen: BBC Sounds - Eileen revives her love of ice skating

Some of the staff from the care home joined Ms Pickering on the ice

When her parents relocated to West Moors in the 1950s there was no local rink.

But she was able to get her skates back on at the BH Live Cool Coast Ice Rink on Tuesday thanks to efforts by staff at Alexandra House care home in Poole.

Ms Pickering said: "I would like to go every week. I never thought I would get the chance to be on the ice again.

"It feels like a dream come true, and I'm incredibly thankful to Nicola and the team... for making this happen."

Her daughter, Angela Bond, who is also from Poole, said it was nice to know that her mum used to have fun in her younger years.

She added: "When [staff at the home] asked her what she wanted to do for her 102nd birthday, she said 'I want to go ice skating'.

"I know they really do genuinely love mum and they do care about her."

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