Experience: I’m the oldest person in the world to ride a rollercoaster

I can proudly say that last year I broke the record for the oldest person in the world to ride a rollercoaster. It was very exciting. I’m 105, but feel younger. Even the doctor agrees I’m in good shape. I’m a bit deaf and my legs are a little wobbly, but they’re the only issues.

I rode the Twistosaurus at Flamingo Land in North Yorkshire, which spins you round quite fast. I didn’t choose to go on that – it was a bit too gentle. I’d have preferred a really fast one that went upside down. But I was told I couldn’t ride something like that, because my blood pressure could drop and I might have blacked out.

I wasn’t nervous – I don’t get frightened of anything. I was securely fastened in, so I knew I wouldn’t fall out. I’d also had a glass of Famous Grouse whisky to give me a bit of courage. I have some every morning in my tea and another shot every night with lemonade.

The rollercoaster ride went on for three or four minutes, and I enjoyed every second. And I raised a lot of money for the Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance fund, which was fantastic. I was beaming afterwards. People were saying I’d got a place in the Guinness World Records and I hoped they were right, but you don’t know until it’s done. Later, someone came to present me with the certificate, which is nice. I have it on the wall in my living room, with another one that I got a year earlier for being the oldest person in the world to get their first tattoo. In 2016, I had one inked on my right shoulder. It says “Jacko 6.4.1912” in my handwriting, because that’s what everyone calls me. It didn’t take long and I’ve been in more pain having a haircut. My daughter and grandson got the same one at the same time – and the tattoo artist even did the same one on his own leg.

Source: theguardian