There are not many 96-year-old's who celebrate their birthday with a trip to the slopes but Gordon Mills has never been interested in following convention.

The blind Second World War veteran is a big believer that you are as young as you feel and that challenges are there to be conquered.

As mountaineer George Mallory once said when questioned about why he wanted to climb Mount Everest - "because it's there" - an ethos this great grandfather of six is living by in his retired life by, and the motivation behind his first ever ski lesson.

The Edinburgh pensioner took to the slopes at Midlothian Snowsports Centre this week, just two days after his 96th birthday.

With a smile beaming across his face as he attempted his first ski lesson, Disability Sport UK (DSUK) instructor Lauren Henderson says she was so impressed by how well Gordon rose to the challenge given he is the oldest person DSUK has ever instructed.

"It was a little harder than I imagined, but extremely worthwhile," Gordon says. "I enjoyed it very much.

"My lack of sight was a bit of a challenge, but the feeling was quite amazing."

"If you're fit enough you've got to go after what you want to do - you can't let age stop you."

Gordon served in the Royal Air Force between 1941 and 1946, taking part in the Burma Campaign, and was later attached to the Navy where he served in 300 Parachute Squadron of the Royal Engineers (TA).

Around 20 years ago, the veteran began to lose his sight due to an age-related macular degeneration but this didn't stop him from living an adventure-packed life with everything from hot air ballooning to paragliding, flying in a glider and a 70ft abseil already ticked off the list.

He joined the Scottish War Blinded in 2014, a charity which gives free support to ex-service men and women of all ages no matter if they lost their sight during or after service.

He began attending the charity's Linburn Centre activity hub in West Lothian and it was here he first muted his hope of trying skiing, with the centre officer Caroline O'Hara saying he is now affectionately known as their "very own James Bond."

"He was quite determined that he wanted to try skiing so we set it up for him," Caroline explains.

"Gordon is a real inspiration."

She adds: "He's also a truly lovely person and I'm so glad he was able to tick this activity off his bucket list."

Gordon's wife Yvonne, 74, says her husband is best described as an 'adrenaline junkie' with an off-road 4x4 driving and another shot in a glider already in the planning.

"Nothing fazes him," she says. "He's more afraid of wasps than he is of extreme sports.

"I know I'm his wife but I think he is quite remarkable, you would never know how little sight he actually has.

"He says that when he's up in the air he can make out more with his peripheral vision than he can when he's on the ground.

"It's fantastic that Scottish War Blinded can support its members to do these things.

She adds: "The doctors say that it's activities like this that keep him young - I think it's having a younger wife."