A DARING OAP celebrated her 94th birthday by waterskiing on Ellingham Lake.

Olive Seymour, who suffers from mobility problems and normally uses a buggy or wheelchair to get around, got the water sport bug after joining a disabled forum aged 90. First she tried sailing with New Forest & District Sailability, which shares facilities with the Spinnaker Sailing Club at Spinnaker Lake at Blashford near Ringwood.

Olive loved getting out on the water and it took little persuasion for her to try the specially designed disabled ski which allows disabled people to experience the thrill of skimming across water. She said: “I don’t think they can train you really. You just have to get on it and go.”

She has no idea of the speeds she attains on the water but admitted: “It’s quite fast and very exciting.”

“I’ve always got round without damaging myself. The only crash is the water when it first hits your face with a bang.

“I love it. That’s why I carry on with it, but it’s very tiring now that I’m getting older.”

A member of Romsey Disabled Forum, widow Olive lives at Mountbatten House near the town centre. “In a club of 40 only three of us do it,” said Olive. “The other two are in their 30s.”

“I was 94 last Wednesday and I’ve only been water skiing about two years, and I’ve never been involved in any sport before, not even tennis,” she said.

“It’s the only sport I’ve ever done except running round the race track when I was little.”

Peter Viney, who helps the Disabled Water Ski Association members at Ellingham Lake near Ringwood on the first Saturday of each summer month, described Olive’s exploits as “amazing”.

“It’s mind-boggling, but she’s game for a laugh,” he said.