Gran, 80, makes modelling comeback

Glamour gran Marion Finlayson has made a comeback as a model – at the age of 80.

The sprightly pensioner first modelled as a teenager in the 1940s but gave it up to concentrate on a teaching career.

But last year she was tempted back onto the catwalk to take part in a charity event and found herself being chased by two agencies.

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Widow Marion, who keeps in shape with pilates and yoga, has now signed up with Glasgow-based Colours.

She said: “It’s all go at the moment, I’ve never been busier since appearing on the catwalk last year.

“It’s great fun and I’m just happy to still do something I enjoy. I’m turning 81 next month so I think I’m doing all right.

“When I meet ladies that I went to school with I sometimes feel like I’m with completely different people.

“They’re often talking about their pills and their blood pressure, but I don’t have any of that yet, I’m as well as I’ve ever been.

Marion, who has two grandchildren, was a teacher at Albyn School in Aberdeen where she lives.

She made her catwalk comeback last August at a local 50 Plus Festival as she recovered from the death of husband Bruce after 54 years of marriage.

Marion then wowed millions of viewers when she appeared on ITV’s This Morning show with Eamonn Holmes the following month.

She said: “I couldn’t believe it – they phoned up and just said ‘we’d love you to come on the programme, would you like to do it?’.

“I didn’t even think twice about it and just said ‘all right’.

“They flew me down to London where I was met with a huge limousine and they said the last person sitting in it was Holly Willoughby, so I thought ‘oh well, this isn’t too bad’.

“They took me to a hotel, I stayed there, had dinner and then they picked me up the next morning in the car again and took me to the studio.”

Marion now clocks up hundreds of miles a week travelling by bus from Aberdeen to Glasgow – using her free pass.

She added: “I do some modelling in Aberdeen but I’m mostly in Glasgow.

“It’s a lot of travelling but it doesn’t bother me as I’ve got a bus pass so I can go down whenever I like.

“I’m really happy with what I’m doing and I hope to carry on for a long time.”

Rosalynd Ramage, who runs Colours, said: “The world is Marion’s oyster.

“It’s wonderful that she’s being recognised in her own right as a model and is an inspiration to other women her age.

“Women don’t stop being interested in fashion or beauty when they reach a certain age, so it’s only fitting that older models are being used to promote products to them.”