A Moray grandmother who only learnt to swim in the summer has taken to a surfboard for the first time – at 72.
Anne-Marie Walker took to the waves after her daughter won a competition ran by Surfable Scotland, a charitable project that offers individuals with a learning disability and their carers and families lessons.
Mrs Walker was taken out to Lossiemouth East Beach on Sunday, where instructor Kev Anderson taught her the basics before she tackled the waves – even managing to stand up on an adaptable surf board.
A grandmother of eight, Mrs Walker only learnt how to swim in the summer and never expected to be out in the sea surfing by November.
She said: “It was exhilarating to do that and going into it I was quite terrified as I don’t do cold water, so surfing this time of year is not something I would normally do. I thought to myself nothing ventured, nothing gained.
“It was a really good experience, I’ve only been out in the water when I took my grandchildren surfing and I couldn’t believe I wasn’t cold.
“Kev was very kind, patient and generous with his time.”
Mrs Walker, from Forres, has problems walking after suffering two broken disk in her neck and after treatment for that spent years of hard work learning how to walk better.
She started swimming by herself over the summer using the hydrotherapy pool in Forres and is eager to go surfing again.
She said: “I will definitely being doing it again but when it is warmer, so not in winter.”
Mr Anderson was pleased to see Mrs Walker enjoy herself.
He said: “It was a fantastic lesson, during the last part of it she stood up by herself on the board in a shallow part of the water, which for a 72-year-old is phenomenal.
“She also paddled out into some waves that were a fair size about a 2ft swell and she is the oldest person I’ve had on a surfboard.
“Her grandson comes to our pool sessions and now her family can surf together.”