Theme park opens just for gran’s bucket list

A Dundee grandmother jumped at the chance of completing one of the goals on her bucket list when a theme park in Motherwell opened especially to let her try bungee trampolining.

Jan Smith, 70, told her family two years ago she would love to give the daredevil activity a go while watching her grandson Ollie try it at M & D ’s Theme Pa r k , Motherwell.

Her daughter, Victoria, took note and recently arranged with the park organisers to grant her access, despite it being largely closed because of coronavirus, to try the thrill-seeking activity for her 70th birthday.

Much of the theme park was closed as tighter restrictions were announced in the central belt the day before Jan’s birthday on September 26.

While some activities still took place at the visitor attraction, rides such as the bungee trampoline were closed, meaning Jan had the site to herself.

She said: “It was a big deal for them to open that up for me.

“I was really impressed that they did it.”

Jan has spent the last decade seeing sights around the world and trying new things ever since her 60 th birthday when she started her bucket list by getting a tattoo.

Since then she has seen three of the 10 man-made wonders of the world, belly danced in Turkey, and visited the memorial to Che Guevara in Cuba.

Still on her wish list is to travel to China and India, visit the Empire State Building, ride in a helicopter and have afternoon tea at the Ritz, London.

HIGH-FLYER: Jan wanted to do bungee trampolining after seeing her grandson do it.