An 80-year-old carer has ticked off the "last remaining item" on her bucket list after getting to be driven at 100mph on a racetrack. 

found a new lease on life after volunteering to accompany her son-in-law in a race car experience, reaching 100mph in a BMW I8. 

Janet Mayo, 80, moved to Essex with her family in the early 1970s and co-owned Cut Maple Garage, in Gosfield with her husband, Tony, until 1986.

The pair have moved around Essex for the past 40 years, living in Bocking, Braintree and Halstead, where they live today.

Sadly, Janet’s husband of 60 years, Tony Mayo, was diagnosed with Dementia during the pandemic resulting in Janet becoming his full-time carer.

“It’s very hard to see someone you love so deeply change in so many ways,” Mrs Mayo said.

“There’s nothing any of us can do to stop it or to slow it down.

“Some days are harder than others, but I take comfort in the amazing life we’ve shared together, all of the crazy adventures we’ve been on and the incredible family we’ve created.”

The couple have ‘been around the world’ twice and ticked off many experiences on their bucket list – but one still remained for Janet.

Last weekend, Janet and Tony accompanied their daughter, Teisha Matthews, and son-in-law, Mark Matthews, on a day out to Wittisham Airfield, a British Army airfield and barracks located near the village of Wattisham in Suffolk.

Teisha had bought Mark a race car experience for his birthday earlier this year and had planned to accompany him in a ride in a BMW i8 before getting too scared.

“My daughter was supposed to go on the ride with him, but she chickened out last minute,” Mrs Mayo said.

“I didn’t want him to do it alone, so I said I’d get in with him - I’m sure he’d have preferred a 20-year-old model, but he got me instead.

“I’ve never experienced anything like it, it was amazing.”

As a full-time carer to her husband and doting grandmother of ten, Janet thought her time of experiencing new things was over but feels she has found a ‘new lease of life’ after the exhilarating 100mph drive.

“I’ve done many exciting things in my time, and I really thought that part of my life was dead and gone,” Mrs Mayo added.

“I’ve finally ticked off the last remaining item on my bucket list and I want to inspire other old girls, like me, to do whatever it is they’ve always wanted to do whilst they’re still here to do it.

“I’ve found a new lease on life, and it’s made me want to try even more new things – what made it even more enjoyable was having Tony watch from the side lines.

“My next challenge will be a hot air balloon ride, which I hope to do sooner rather than later.

“I proved to myself that age and circumstance doesn’t define anything, nothing is impossible!”