Doris breaks own abseil record with DJ Evans
TOP DJ Chris Evans called daredevil pensioner Doris Long "amazing" after he abseiled with her as she became a record-breaker for the third time.
The Radio 2 star paid tribute to 96-year-old Doris after she became the oldest person to abseil – breaking the record she had set twice before.
The broadcaster – who at 45 is less then half Doris's age – completed the descent after he accepted the Hayling pensioner's challenge live on air when she was invited onto his show earlier this year.
Writing on social networking site Twitter later that day, he said: "Abseiling done, stomach muscles interesting, never felt like this before.
"Team did superbly – Doris amazing, how she did that I have no idea."
Daring Doris and the DJ abseiled 200ft down Millgate House in Portsea to raise cash for the Rowans Hospice.
The pair successfully made it to the ground despite drizzle and buffeting winds which almost brought the event to a halt.
Doris and Chris abseiled side by side, cheered by Millgate House residents and the dozens of people who were watching below.
And the nervous star, who broadcasts to almost 10million listeners on his weekday breakfast show, admitted calm Doris's soothing encouragement had helped him on the way.
After returning to ground safely to the ringing of the nearby St George's Church bell and tumultuous applause, Chris said: "Thank God I had Doris.
"She is my inspiration. She gave me advice all the way down.
"People say once you've done it you can't wait to do it again, but this has been my first and last abseil."
Speaking about the moment Doris laid down the gauntlet on the radio, he added: "It was just one of those moments when you've got to say 'yes'."
Great-grandmother Doris has completed 16 abseils, starting at the tender age of 85.
And she has no plans to stop any time soon.
"Oh I will do more. I'll stop when I'm 100!," she said.
Doris had also challenged Hayling Islander editor Andrew Griffin to take part in the fundraising event.
The 48-year-old, who had never done any abseiling before was one of more than 130 people who took the lift to the 19th floor before stepping over the edge to the whoops from the crowd below.
He said: "I made a conscious effort to talk to the instructor as I took up the position and not think about looking up or down.
"While I am not nervous of heights, I was not going to let anything get me thinking about what I was really doing.
"Despite Doris's advice to me, I shot off at a rate of knots and did not have my right hand - which controls the rate of descent - in the right place.
"I just seemed to be going faster and faster and kept losing contact with the walls with my feet.
"I thought I was going to lose it completely and end up spinning like a whirling Dervish, but I just about kept in a straight line.
"It might have looked like I was trying to take a leaf out of the SAS's book but my mind went blank as I tried to remember how to correct myself.
"Luckily, the safety harness and lines mean you can't really do any harm other than to your pride.
"I never felt in any real danger but I have to take my hat off to Doris.
"There is no way I could see myself doing this when I am a long-time retired."
The abseil was watched by Portsmouth's deputy Lord Mayor Cheryl Buggy, who was an independent witness on behalf of Guinness World Records.
She said: "Doris just has this amazing sense of calm about her.
"She just came down and is smiling benignly and calmly. We can learn so much from people like her.
"And it was lovely to see both her and Chris come down together."
Ali George, who organised the event for The Rowans, paid tribute to Doris, a regular fundraiser for the charity: "It's been a dream," she said.
"How fantastic is it to have both a Guinness World Record and Chris Evans, who has the highest listening figures in Europe.
"Doris is a very loyal supporter and she constantly astounds us each year."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Hayling
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -4 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -5 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
