A 90-YEAR-OLD who lost both his legs six years ago due to diabetes, is planning his second tandem parachute jump next month to mark his birthday.

Bert Moss had severe problems with blood circulation, and doctors decided amputation was the only solution.

But the Second World War veteran never lost his zest for life and first parachuted from a plane a year after his operation.

"I wasn't nervous," he said.

"I had given it a lot of thought and while there were periods of self-doubt when I asked myself why I was doing such a daft thing at my age, I got my nerve back.

"Doing the jump made me feel so elated. The wind was rushing past my ears and I couldn't hear a thing. When the ripcord was pulled, I felt a gentle jerk and floated down - it was just marvellous."

After a conversation with an ambulance driver taking him home from a recent optician's appointment, he hit upon the idea of a sponsored leap to mark his 90th birthday.

Mr Moss, a great grandfather who served with the Royal Signals before becoming an accountant, will do his second jump at the British Skysports Centre, near Bridlington, in aid of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

"I am really excited about it,'' said Mr Moss, who ran the village shop in Ripley until his retirement to nearby Harrogate.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance fundraiser Bob Smailes said: "I was stunned when I first heard about Bert's idea."