Sky-high winner

Published:

FORT William woman Denise Kirk swapped wheels for wings recently after winning a helicopter ride over Loch Ness courtesy of Macrae & Dick in Inverness. The ride was the result of an after-sales care promotion to reward Macrae & Dick Land Rover customers.

Denise, who bought her Freelander from the Inverness garage in 2006, entered the competition to win the helicopter flight and lesson back in autumn 2007. She recently took full advantage of her prize – supplied by HG Helicopters in Inverness – and took to the skies with pilot Ryan McPherson.

Mrs Kirk, who operates Lochview Guesthouse in Fort William, said: “I received a letter inviting me to take my Land Rover in for a service between October and December last year. If I did I would automatically be entered into a prize draw for a helicopter lesson. My car needed its annual service anyway, although I never actually expected to win, so to get the phone call was a wonderful surprise.

“Ryan, the pilot, gave me a quick lesson on how the helicopter worked and then we took off with him at the controls. The highlight for me was the stunning Loch Ness scenery – it was a breathtaking experience to see it from the skies.”

Macrae & Dick general manager Derek Presley said: “After-sales care is a huge part of what we do and this was a chance to offer one of our customers a very special gift, and I’m delighted Mrs Kirk enjoyed the experience so much.”