MARY Maugham is on top of the world after setting a world record as the oldest person to abseil down a cliff.

Even at the grand old age of 91, dangling at the end of a rope on a slippery sheer cliff held no fears for the veteran of dares.

Mrs Maugham appeared last night on television's Esther Rantzen's show That's Esther, with fellow guest, actress Joan Collins, when she was presented with the Guinness Book of Records world record certificate.

Mrs Maugham, who is fighting cancer, is no stranger to adventure. She is one of the North-East's famous Footballing Grannies team, the Argyll Bombers of Teesside.

The former club stewardess has appeared on television throughout the world with her fellow team-mates, playing challenge matches for charity and has completed six abseils, but this was the big one.

With her feet safely back on the ground at Argyll nursing home, Argyll Road, Norton, Stockton, Mrs Maugham said: "It was a real rough abseil. I've done six before, all for charity. But this was the worst.

"The rock was sheer drop and very smooth and wet. I was half-way down when I was out of breath. I couldn't breathe because of the effort of pressing my feet against the slippery rock to get a grip.

"It felt like I was having a heart attack. I said I couldn't make it and they'd better get the helicopter to take me off. But he said I was nearly there. I kept going."

Mrs Maugham's friend Charlotte Watson, 82, completed the abseil first, setting a world record, but Mrs Maugham smashed it minutes later. Both are raising money for Stockton's Butterwick Hospice.

Their daring exploits took place late last month at Parrock Quarry, Ambleside in the Lake District.

Neither of the women realised they had broken a record until later.