Isobel Varley: 'Most tattooed female senior citizen' dies Published duration 14 May 2015

image copyright JOHN O REILLY image caption Isobel Varley, 77, made it into the Guinness World Records and was called a "legend" of the tattoo world

The world's "most tattooed" female pensioner has died after battling Alzheimer's disease.

Originally from Yorkshire, Isobel Varley, of Stevenage in Hertfordshire, had 93% of her body inked.

The 77-year-old made it into the Guinness World Records and was called a "legend" of the tattoo world.

The mother-of-one had her first tattoo in her late 40s and her favourite was one of a family of tigers on her stomach.

image copyright JOHN O REILLY image caption Ms Varley warned others to think carefully before having a tattoo

Ms Varley, who appeared in magazines, national newspapers and advertisements, was the Guinness World Record holder for "most tattooed senior citizen (female)" and died on Monday.

Speaking to the BBC in 2008, she said: "I went to a tattoo convention and had one tattoo - and then it just went from there.

"This came about as I was so impressed by the sheer beauty of the tattoos and I found that the people there were ordinary people from all walks of life and were not strange."

But Isobel warned: "If you're going to have one done, you've got to think about it carefully because it's going to last a very long time so you've got to be sure it's what you want."