PENSIONER Kathleen Hall has spent 80 years with her head in the clouds, so her son decided on a birthday surprise designed to put her in a spin...

The sprightly pensioner, who lives at Kenyon Lodge, Manchester Road West, Little Hulton, had two ambitions - one to ride The Big One in Blackpool and the other to fly in a helicopter.

So when it came to her 80th birthday, her son, Gordon, decided it was time to make one of those dreams come true.

Rather than risk the ups and downs of the Big One, Gordon decided the helicopter ride would be the safer option.

However, the pair were brought abruptly down to earth on Saturday when, for the third time, the ride was cancelled.

Gordon said: "First time, the company we were flying with was taken over and all reservations had to be rebooked.

"Then the pilot was sick and, on this last occasion, I actually turned up with my mother unaware there was a problem."

Undeterred, Gordon is going to try again to take his mother up in the helicopter.

He said: "The surprise element has been taken away but it is still her dream."

For Kathleen it was the surprise of a lifetime, but for Gordon it was nothing more than a busman's holiday.

He explained: "I used to be in the Army and was attached to the Helicopter Squadron.

"I decided this was the ideal surprise for my mother. The Big One was a little bit much for her, so I settled on the helicopter ride."

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