THIS go-getter grandad is bidding to be the first thrillseeker to fly down Brighton seafront’s latest addition when it opens this summer.

John Poland contacted The Argus to let attraction bosses know he wants to be the first customer down the proposed 300 metre zip wire set to replace the Brighton Wheel on the city’s seafront.

But the 86-year-old RAF veteran will not take on the challenge alone – he’s nominated his border terrier Louis to join him on the adrenaline ride.

Mr Poland is no stranger to danger having successfully taken on a 115ft abseil down Peacehaven cliffs for the Martlets Hospice in 2014.

The grandfather-of-two, a retired theatre agent who has lived in the city for 55 years, wrote to The Argus after reading our article about plans to install the Brighton Zip in Madeira Drive in the place of the Brighton Wheel.

Mr Poland, of Clarendon Villas in Hove, said: “I just saw the article and thought why not, especially having done something similar before with the Peacehaven cliff abseil.

“It was just a thought really, it was someone else who suggested it, it was a mate who said you should do that.

“At my age I probably should know better.

“I like to keep active, I play golf regularly and I’ve got grandkids aged two and five and they keep me active.

“I went up The Shard the other week but I had no plans for jumping down from there.”

Plans to replace the Brighton Wheel with a new attraction were first unveiled at the start of the month.

The Brighton Zip is planned to open at the end of July and would operate all year round opening daily between 10am and 11pm depending on seasons and days.

The scheme’s backers Paramount Entertainments claim the attraction would be the largest ride of its kind in the county and would bring a £1.7 million investment into the local economy.

A new café is also being proposed at the site, to be built over the winter and to open in March next year, when it will serve locally sourced food, seasonal menus and seafood.