PENSIONER Robert Relf celebrated his 80th birthday in unusual fashion, by throwing himself off a bridge.

The daring grandfather, from Birchington, completed his 50th bungee jump at Interlaken in Switzerland on his special day. However, it may be one of his last as Mr Relf is running out of places where a man of his age can take part in such an extreme sport.

Mr Relf, of Park Lane, took up the unusual hobby at the age of 69, when he was told he was too old to continue his first love of parachute jumping.

Mr Relf became something of a celebrity in Switzerland after his jump, and was featured in the country’s biggest selling daily newspaper.

He said: “I suppose it is quite unusual for someone of my age, but I wanted to commemorate my birthday with a land mark. I had done 45 jumps before I went to Switzerland, and completed five that week, but I saved the 50th for my birthday on the Friday.”

Mr Relf has bungee jumped all over the world, including New Zealand and Victoria Falls, but said each time it becomes a little harder.

“You would think it would get easier, but the adrenaline builds up more the more you do it. Plus every time you think ‘How much longer can I get away with this?’.”

Mr Relf’s family have mixed views about his bungee jumping.

For insurance reasons, he is not allowed to jump in many countries of the world. His granddaughter surfs the Internet for him, looking for new jump sites, but Mr Relf’s daughter admits she is worried about it.

Mr Relf said: ”They know what I’m like, and they know I refuse to just grow old gracefully.”