Dilys Price: World’s oldest female skydiver dies

A woman who became the world’s oldest female skydiver has died, aged 88.

Former teacher Dilys Price, from Cardiff, was scared of heights when she did her first jump in her fifties.

But she went on to complete hundreds of parachute jumps all over the world, and set the Guinness World Record for the oldest female solo parachute jump.

She also founded the Touch Trust charity championing art and creative movement programmes for disabled people.

Learning Disability Wales said she “transformed the lives of thousands of people with profound multiple disabilities and people with autism”.

In 2018 Ms Price told BBC Wales: “Skydiving is my passion, there you have the ultimate beauty of the sky… you just feel so free.”

After taking up the sport when she was 54, she went on to complete over 1,139 solo jumps all over the world.

She was no ordinary skydiver – with a background in drama and dance, she specialised in air acrobatics and freestyling.

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David, where she was an honorary fellow, said she was a “remarkable, amazing and inspiring” woman.

Mark James Parry tweeted: “Very very sad that my Aunt ⁦@DilysPriceOBE⁩ has passed away. She touched many with her incredible personality and truly lived life to the full. An inspiration to all. Truly grateful that I got to call her my Aunt. We will miss you.”

Aged 80, the former Cardiff College of Education lecturer set the Guinness World Record for the oldest solo parachute jump (female).

At 86 she sold her parachute, but went on to do a tandem skydive with former Wales rugby star Gareth Thomas.

She was awarded an OBE for services to people with special needs in 2003, and was honoured for her work at the Pride of Britain awards in 2017.

In 2018, she was included on a list of the 100 women who have influenced Welsh life.

Back in 2018, Ms Price, who went on to model for Helmut Lang, said she wanted to inspire older people to keep active.

She said: “We only get one shot at life”.