Stevenage pensioner breaks world record

16 September 2010, 06:00 | Updated: 17 September 2010, 15:18

A 73-year-old from Stevenage has been recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records for being the most tattooed female senior citizen in the world.

Isobel Varley had her first 'body art' done in 1986 on a visit to a convention in London. She had one on her back and one on the top of her leg.

Since then she has gone on to spend thousands of pounds on getting more than 93% of her body covered and admits she no longer knows exactly how many pictures she has on her body.

She explained what made her keep getting them:

"Because it's like a drug! I went to another tattoo artist and he started doing pieces all over the top of me, and he said 'you've got to join them up' and that's what happened - joining them up and then working right down the body."

On her website, Isobel says the only places that she doesn't have completely covered are her face, the soles of her feet, her ears and some of her hands. Despite there not being much space left for new tattoos, she does still have work done - although it's mainly re-colouring and re-touches of existing images.

Isobel's chosen a variety of pictures throughout the years saying: "I've got wildlife, I've got erotic, I've got flowers, animals - all sorts." - but her favourite tattoos are of some tigers, which are on her stomach.

When asked how people react to her when they see her in the street Isobel told us:

"Well people know me, don't they, where I live. So they just know what I've got. They talk about it sometimes otherwise they don't. They just accept me."

Isobel travels abroad on a regular basis to tattoo conventions and says she thinks her record is 'great'.

 **Above two pictures have been supplied by Guinness World Records 2011 which is out today**