OLIVE Hartley was bowled over by the chance to play cricket - at the age of 92.

The sprightly pensioner was to pull on her pads to face one of the top bowlers at Padiham Cricket Club back in 2003.

Olive from Chapel Walk, Padiham, has been invited to swing a cricket bat before the club’s match against Barnoldswick as a belated birthday present organised by the Mayoress of Padiham Hazel Rushton.

She had already enjoyed a helicopter ride for her birthday earlier in the year, and was delighted at the invite.

She said: “I’ve always played cricket with friends for fun, but it is about 30 years since I last played. When you retire you don’t really miss things like that, but then when I thought about it I decided it would be a nice thing to do.

“The mayoress said she was looking for ideas on how to raise some money for the mayoress’ committee and I just said ‘Why don’t you have a 92-year-old woman playing cricket?’

“I was only being facetious, but she took me up on it. Now I’m really looking forward to it.

“I just hope they bowl gently because I think the bat will probably be too big for me .”