Two Merseyside nans have both got their first matching tattoos - with one of the ladies now holding the record as the oldest person to visit one Liverpool parlour.
Yesterday, 89-year-old Betty Gamble and Margaret Gilham, 78, both from West Derby, went to Fool's Gold Tattoo, in Garston, to get Betty's first tattoo.
The pair met whilst singing in a local choir and Betty decided to get the same tattoo Margaret got last November to mark the 20th anniversary of her daughter Karen's death.
Betty's granddaughter Jenny Watts, 27, said she first heard about the tattoo on social media adding it was a "beautiful sentiment" to her mum who sadly died of a brain tumour in 2001.
Tattoo artist Anthony Fitzsimons recreated Margaret's tattoo of angel wings at the Garston Old Road parlour adding a small 'K' in tribute.
Jenny described her grandmother as "bubbly, outgoing and caring" and said she wasn't shocked by the decision made by Betty who has two children, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Jenny told the ECHO: "The first I knew about it was I had a message in my inbox from a friend who'd sent me the link to the picture from the tattoo parlour.
"She said 'oh my god look at this' and I said 'that's my grandma'.
"She didn't actually know. She just sent it as 'what a nice story this is'.
"She hadn't told anyone. Margaret had hers previously and booked for Betty to go in and get it in memory of my mum, her daughter.
"She's got it because she misses her daughter and the sentiment is beautiful. The fact she is 89 and went to go and get a tattoo is an amazing thing.
"She's still living life. She's always the queen of the party."
Jenny said the family have wondered what Betty will do next,but Betty insists the tattoo "was a one-off".
Jenny said: "I loved the fact they got matching tattoos. It's really cute, they're best friends.
"It wasn't a shock, it was just a nice endearing thing. That's the kind of thing Betty would do, just having fun."
Nan-of-ten Margaret Galham, 78, said the pair have been friends for around 12 years and she, too, initially kept her tattoo a secret from loved ones.
Margaret said: "I had mine done in November, my birthday is in November. We had come out of the lockdown and I thought someone has been looking after me.
"It's something I've always wanted to do. I came from a big family, five brothers and three sisters older than me. It was always something frowned upon, a lady having a tattoo and I've been tempted over the years.
"I thought I'm going to have this little tattoo I've always wanted, now is the time and I chose little angel wings."
Margaret said Betty loved her tattoo and wanted the same to pay tribute to her daughter, Karen.
Margaret said: "She's delighted. When I had mine done I didn't tell my children, like Betty didn't, until Christmas.
"I showed it to them then and it was a big surprise to them all. My youngest grandchild said 'that means I can have one now'.
"I said when you're 18 you can make your mind up. It took me 78 years to make my mind up to have one."
Fool's Gold Tattoo Liverpool posted pictures of the pair on their Instagram - which got an overwhelming response.
Their posts read: "Margaret (left) has wanted a small tattoo her entire life. As the youngest sister of four girls, her older sisters always dissuaded her from taking the leap. It was massively taboo when she was younger and not something a 'lady' should do. After the first lockdown in 2020, she felt as though someone had been watching over her and decided a little angel should live on her wrist, so she finally got her tattoo at 78 years of age. Margaret held the title for the oldest person tattooed at Fool's Gold, until today.
"Margaret brought her best friend Betty to the studio for her very own angel tattoo with a little K for her daughter who she lost 20 years ago. Betty sat like a champ and now holds the record for the oldest person tattooed at FG at 89 years old!
"Betty and Margaret are in a choir together, their favourite hymn to sing is 'You raise me up'.
"They left the studio today serenading us with their own rendition of 'We'll meet again'.... We love you Bet and Marg, we hope we do meet again."
