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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Rosaleen Fenton

Glam gran, 91, says she's mistaken for a woman in her 70s while wearing a bikini

A 91-year-old great-grandmother regularly gets chatted up by people 20 years younger - who refuse to believe her real age. Joan Richmond-Woodhouse, 91, puts her good looks down to a diet of hearty pub grub and says she still has the mindset of a young person.

Despite her beige diet, the grandmother-of-18 says she is regularly has people accusing her of lying about her age, as they think she is only in her 70s. Ex-pat Joan spends her days travelling with boyfriend, David Winder, 84, a retired cargo coordinator, and sunning herself in her garden in Costa Calida, Murcia, Spain.

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Joan says she is often mistaken for a woman 20 years younger (Joan Richmond-Woodhouse / SWNS)
The grandmother-of-18 has a beige diet (Joan Richmond-Woodhouse / SWNS)

Joan swears by a Nivea cream which she has used since she was 16 and she moisturises her whole body once a week.

Joan, a retired dress maker, originally from Blackburn, Lancashire, said: "I don’t know how to behave like a 91-year-old - I just act the same as I did when I was 21.

"I’ve always looked young, and people are always shocked when I tell them my age as I don’t look, talk or act like I am 91.

"I don’t do anything special to stay young – I love pies and English grub so even in Spain I’ve stuck to eating that.

"I love wearing a bikini and going to the beach with my granddaughter.

"I’ve never put any weight on. I think that must be my secret to my young looks that and I just love life and have never had the mindset of being old.”

Joan with granddaughter Lydia, 27 (Joan Richmond-Woodhouse / SWNS)
Ex-pat Joan insists she doesn’t feel like an OAP (Joan Richmond-Woodhouse / SWNS)

Joan moved to Spain in Janurary 2002 with her late husband, Trevor Woodhouse, 81, a retired solicitor.

She insists there isn’t a secret to her youthful looks and says she has never dieted or stopped eating her favourite food - pies.

“I love a meat pie,” she said.

"I always go for a carvery every Sunday. I don’t follow any silly diets - I just eat what I want and what makes me happy.

"I just love English food - especially hearty pub grub. I do have more salads now I’m in Spain because it can be so hot, but I’ll never not have my pies.”

Joan with Lydia's daughter (Joan Richmond-Woodhouse / SWNS)

The mum-of-eight has battled colon cancer but continues just to live every day as it comes and throws herself into life.

Joan looks so young that people accuse her of lying about her age and demand to see her ID.

Granddaughter Lydia, 27, a beauty ambassador, who lives in Costa Calida, Murcia, Spain, with Joan, said: "It’s mad people 20 years younger try and chat her up.

"They don’t believe us when we tell them her real age. She literally doesn’t age.

"I hope when I’m older I’m like my grandma and inherit her genes and look as good as she does at her age. I really hope to have her luck.

"Lots of members of our family get complimented on our youthful looks and it’s almost like we get to a certain age then we age backwards."

She loves clothes and still loves to look glamorous and well put together.

"Age is just a number,” Joan said.

"I keep young by staying positive and eating what I want. It works for me.”

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