A DAREDEVIL granddad has signed up for the ride of his life to help a range of charities.

Lorry driver David Todd, 53, is comfortable behind the wheel of his truck.

But this summer he intends to strap himself to the top of a bi-plane with speeds in excess of 130 mph.

Once strapped to the five point harness David will take off into the skies for the ultimate adrenaline rush.

Fearless David, of Garland Road, Parkeston, who has two children and one grandchild, is planning to carry out his wing walk on June 2.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

Flying - David will be strapped to the top of a bi-plane to wing walk for charity 

The money raised from the wing walk, which will take place at Damyns Hill Airfield in Upminster, will go to charities in the Harwich area through the Freemasons’ Grand Charity.

The charity provides grants for hundreds of people who are experiencing financial difficulty as well as national causes.

David is no stranger to great heights as he jumped from many planes when he was in the Army between June 1981 and November 1995.

His main role was as a driver and he served in the Falklands, before the war, as well as in Northern Ireland.

He said: “Wing walking is just something I found online which I thought would be a totally different way of fundraising for charity.

“Everyone seems to do the London Marathon but I am not as fit as everyone else so I thought I would give this a go.

“I will be up in the air for about ten minutes and we have to have a safety lecture before hand which is a lot longer than the flight itself.

“Then I am strapped up and head up in the air.”

David, who has been a Freemason for the past decade and belongs to four Lodges in the Harwich and Clacton areas, said he has already raised £1,000 in pledges from Freemasons.

He said: “I am anxious about it all but I have full faith in everyone involved with the wing walk.

“It is not something you don’t have fear of but it is for charity and that is what will keep me going.

“I believe I am the first Essex Freemason to try something like this and I am looking forward to the experience although my wife, Beverley, and Masonic colleagues think I am mad.”

David said he is trying to raise as much money as he can before the wing walk and is looking forward to an ice cold beverage on his return to the ground.

He said: “Wing walking is not the kind of thing you expect Freemasons to be doing but we continue to confound people with all kind of different ways to raise money.”

He added: “I am looking forward to finishing it and climbing down from the wings knowing I have raised money for good causes and knowing I have helped people less fortunate than me.”

If you would like to sponsor him click here.