Daredevil David marks his 75th birthday with skydive number 54

David Kellett, of Maltings Close, Wakefield, travelled to Skydive Langar in Nottinghamshire where he jumped from an aircraft attached to skydiving instructor Benjamin Reed-Smith, falling at 120mph for 50 seconds before flying back down to earth under a 360 square foot parachute.

It’s the 54th time David has made a skydive, and this one also marks his 75th birthday.

He said: “You’d think I’d be fed up of it by now, or know better, a man of my age! But I come back for the excitement of the skydive. And the staff.

"Coming back, meeting the skydiving staff. It’s just brilliant.”

Mr Kellett’s latest skydive was filmed and photographed by skydiving videographer Laura Hampton.

After landing, he said his latest jump was "Absolutely fantastic."

He said: "That was the best one ever. I’ll definitely be back for number 55!”.

Tandem skydiving has grown in popularity in recent years, with the Covid lockdowns giving way to an uplift in the experience economy in the UK.

Skydive Langar saw a 50% increase in the average number of skydives per month between 2020 and 2021 and completed more than 37,000 jumps in total last year.

Tandem skydives and skydives completed by a tandem skydive instructor attached to a tandem skydive student. Those interested in skydiving by themselves can also choose to learn to skydive, and can be fully qualified in as few as 18 jumps.

More information can be found at Skydive Langar.