Olive Marrs, 58, who lives off Chester Road, Sunderland, and her 12-year-old grandson Nathaniel, of Grindon, are bridging the generation gap by attending trampolining classes together.

While Karen Dodds, 49, of Grangetown, and her grandson Piers Nord, nine, of Seaham, a pupil at Valley Road School, Hendon, started going to the sessions 18 months ago.

All four of them go trampolining at the Sandhill Centre in Grindon where anyone over the age of three can expect a warm welcome.

Olive, a principal social worker for Sunderland Children's Service, used to do trampolining at school when she was 13 years old.

She has a background in gymnastics and sport and, as well as her trampolining, she keeps fit by doing swimming and circuit training classes.

She said: "It is a good form of exercise and it's fun. It's something totally different from work and I enjoy the time I spend with my grandson.

"I don't think that my age restricts me at all. I think I am fitter now than I have ever been."

Olive's grandson Nathaniel has just started Thornhill School and said he thinks his grandma is good at trampolining and is glad she goes to the classes.

Karen, who teaches at Greenfield School Hebbon, got talking to a colleague about trampolining and she thought she would give it a try.

She said: "I needed to do some exercise and I wanted to do something new so once I found out I was not to old to go, I started trampolining classes.

"I think Piers is quite pleased and I am proof that you are never too old.

"I used to bounce on a Sunday morning with a group of 10-year-olds who accommodated me quite nicely but it is good to see someone else in the class closer to my own age."

AAA Trampoline Club runs sessions at the Sandhill Centre on Mondays from 5pm to 8.30pm and Sundays from 10am to 3pm and at the Raich Carter Centre on Thursdays from 4.30 to 8pm.

Groups are run by Andrew Revell, a Level 4 senior club coach, and Jennifer Collings, a Level 3 club coach, and there are no upper age limits.

For more information, tel: 07914452565 or go to www.aaa-trampoline-club.com