A FORMER Holyrood School student will fly to the edge of space this week.

Dave Coller, who now lives in Hong Kong, will mark his 50th birthday on Tuesday, June 7, by heading up in a MiG29 with the Russian military and getting a glimpse of the Earth that few people have the opportunity to experience.

Dave, whose mother lives in Chard, was inspired to take the flight after seeing James May take a similar flight on a U2 spyplane in a BBC documentary.

After passing all the security clearance measures, he will fly to Moscow this Saturday and will stay there for a couple of days before getting the train to the Nizhny Novgorod Airbase for his flight.

Dave said: “I did a bit of research and the only place where you could do it was Russia. The aim is to fly to the edge of space at 70,000 feet where I should be able to see the curvature of the Earth.”

The flight has been arranged with American firm Incredible Adventures, who specialise in giving people their dream adrenaline rides.

Having travelled back further than anyone to Chard for a school reunion of Holyrood’s Class of 1976 in the Perry Street club on March 16, now Dave will fly higher than ever before.

Dave added: “I like this type of thing – I have always enjoyed the unusual and for my 50th birthday this is just what I was looking for.”