She's already got a reputation as a daredevil, but 100-year-old Violet Caffray surprised even her family at the weekend when she began pumping iron.

The great-great-grandmother, who turned 100 in June, tried gliding just before she turned 90, and on reaching her century declared she wanted to go up in a hot air balloon.

And when she went along to the Dimensions Fitness centre in Poynters Road, Luton, with her daughter Maureen and granddaughter Lorraine at the weekend, she couldn't resist jumping on one of the weights machines.

The centre was holding a family fun day where people could try their hand at a range of different fitness activities, and Violet, of Hitchin Road, had initially gone along to watch the action.

But Dimensions instructor Leandro Natale was more than happy to lend a hand when she decided she wanted to try out the equipment for herself.

Lorraine, 51, a trampolining coach, said: 'There's no holding gran back, and watching wasn't enough, she had to have a go.'