THREE pensioners from the Devizes area have proved that advancing years do not mean missing out on adventurous activities.

John and Mary Bell, of Poulshot, did tandem sky dives, while Malcolm Davis, 80, fulfilled an ambition by swinging on a trapeze.

Mrs Bell, 68, and her 73-year-old husband are fundraisers for Hope for Tomorrow, the charity that raises money for mobile chemotherapy units in Wiltshire and other counties.

They decided to mark the tenth anniversary of the charity by parachuting from 10,000 feet, which they did at Wanborough Airfield, near Swindon, last month.

Mrs Bell, a retired shop owner, and Mr Bell, a retired police officer, went up in the plane together before Mrs Bell jumped out first followed by her husband.

Mrs Bell, who said the only sporty activity she does is the occasional Zumba class, said: “We have held a wine and cheese evening for Hope for Tomorrow and we decided to do something different. The sky dive was my husband’s idea. We were so looking forward to it. It was a bit scary when we were falling from two miles up. You free fall for 5,000 feet followed by parachuting for 5,000 feet. It was brilliant and the experience of a lifetime. Our grandchildren think we are mad but think it’s great what we have done.”

So far the couple have raised more than £5,000 through sponsorship for Hope for Tomorrow.

They have an online site for donations at virginmoneygiving.com – type in Mary Bell or John Bell.

Mrs Bell said: “The mobile chemotherapy units that Hope for Tomorrow fund are such a wonderful thing. It means patients can go to a local hospital for treatment.”

Meanwhile, Mr Davis, of Wyvern Close, Devizes, was delighted to achieve a long-held goal of going on a trapeze.

The former builder spent more than an hour at Circo-media, which teaches circus skills at St Paul’s Church, Bristol.

Mr Davis, who retired at the age of 72, said: “Ever since I was 30 I wanted to go on a trapeze.

“My son, Jake, bought the trapeze lesson for my 80th birthday and it was fabulous.”

After being given some tuition and doing stretching exercises to warm up, Mr Davis climbed a 35 foot high ladder to the platform and, with a safety harness on, swung three times on the trapeze.

He was watched by his family including his wife, Mary, children and grandchildren.

His sons, Jake and Alan, son-in-law Glen Wilshire, and grandchildren Dan and Will Wilshire also had a go on the trapeze.

Mr Davis, who was a regular and TA soldier in the Wiltshire Regiment, said: “It was very exhilarating.

“I have never been scared of heights and Circomedia said they had never had an 80-year-old take part before.

“They said I was very good.”

Mr Davis, who likes walking, thinks his good health is down to his genes.

n Mr and Mrs Bell are speaking at a pink-themed party tonight at St John’s Parish Hall, Long Street, Devizes, at 7pm, which is raising money for Hope for Tomorrow.