A Brixington pensioner, who won a glider flight in a charity auction, finally took to the skies last week.

Dora Wareing, 74, of Ivydale, outbid her rivals with the offer of �105 in the Help for Heroes’ auction at the Blackmore Theatre last month.

And it brought her the chance to soar over the Blackdown Hills in a huge glider with a massive 48-foot wingspan.

Unfortunately, for Dora, the flight did not go quite as planned. When she arrived at the Devon and Somerset Gliding Club, the weather took a turn for the worse.

Her husband Jim said: “Dora was kitted up for the flight- although the parachute came as a surprise.

“Controls explained, especially emergency escape – intended as a reassurance – and the tow plane was fired up. And down came the rain!”

However, the high clouds that prevailed earlier were now much lower and the pilot restricted his flight to a ‘rough circle’ around the airstrip.

Dora said: “What a fuss and palaver about getting into the air. The flight itself was fun, although restricted in distance travelled and in visibility.

“It was an experience I shall not forget – and I’m so pleased I didn’t have a parachute jump to add to it!”