VETERAN daredevil Trish Wagstaff will be on cloud nine when she completes her dream stunt of walking on the wings of a plane.

The 84-year-old, who has already plunged from the sky dangling from a parachute, said: "If I'm allowed to jump out of a plane, why can't I get on top of one?"

Intrepid Mrs Wagstaff, from Appleton, has already raised enough money over the past eight years to help rehome a soldier who lost his legs.

She has also has funded hospital equipment that has saved 137 children's lives.

Now, on August 20, the gutsy grandmother-of-two will follow in the footsteps of the famous Barnstormers of a century ago to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

She said: "This one is going to hit the record.

"I am not nervous, although I might be on the day.

"I have finally tackled the aviation board about it. Originally I was told I had to join a team to wing walk.

"But I didn't want to join a team, I just wanted to do it for the sponsorship."

Mrs Wagstaff, former army wife of the late Peter Wagstaff, first pondered the idea of doing the stunt following the death of her husband – a former major in the Royal Scots.

She said: "After my husband's death I started to think 'this really is a rotten life' and it felt like I had been cut in half.

"Then I heard my husband's voice say 'come on poppet, snap out of it'.

"And that is when I thought about doing a wing walk."

For years, Mrs Wagstaff has been denied the chance to take on the charity challenge but thanks to changes in aviation rules she now can.

The mum-of-two hopes to hit the record with her fundraising, this time beating the £15,251 she raised skydiving for Great Ormond Street Hospital or the £11,500 doing the longest zipwire in Europe.

After working with Sobell House Hospice for 25 years, Mrs Wagstaff's fundraising total for the charity alone is more than £120,000.

She said: "Cancer is very near to my heart as I nursed my husband with it. Several family members including my father also had it.

"I have been going round about 15 villages to ask for sponsorship – places such as Appleton, Shippon, Dry Sandford and Longworth.

"I drive and park up but can never remember where my car is by the time I have walked round.

"People know me by now and always say 'what are you doing this year'. They probably think I am stark raving bonkers."

Mrs Wagstaff is collecting sponsors door to door but has help from the Cancer Research UK shop in Bury Street, Abingdon.