What a hoot as 'rebel' great-grandmother from Tipton celebrates her 90th with a tattoo

She was joined by her granddaughter Kim for her birthday on Tuesday as the pair got matching owl tattoos from Daniel Ashfield at Invictus Tattoos in Great Bridge.

Joan was born and bred in Tipton to a father, who worked as a fishmonger, and a mother who owned a grocery shop in the area.

She had a twin sister called Alice and two older brothers, Bert and Jim, all of whom have died.

Her feathered friend tattoo is a tribute to a nickname that was given to both Joan and Alice – the wise owls.

The twins were always close, and the pair even married two brothers and continued to live close to each other.

"They were absolute nightmares," Kim joked.

Sadly, Alice died just before the pair's 80th birthday, but her memory lives on in Joan and Kim's new tattoo.

Kim, 36, was right by her grandmother's side as they got their matching tattoos.

She said: "Nan sat there like an absolute trooper. She was really excited. I thought she might have changed her mind, but she was fine, she talked all the way through it and enjoyed telling the tattooist her stories.

"She's always said that when she got to 90 she'd have a tattoo, she said: 'I'm being rebellious'."

Joan met her future husband Geoffrey Warner, a well known darts player in Tipton, at aged 14.

Geoffrey sadly passed away 18 years ago, but Joan has plenty of company with her two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Her grandchildren are Matthew and Kimberley and her great-grandchildren include Mia, Mackenzie, Henley, Hallie, Robyn and Nellie-Anne.

Joan worked at Cuxson Gerrard on Fountain Lane in Oldbury making medical products such as plasters and corn caps.

She worked there for years before taking a break when she gave birth to Brian, later returning to the firm with her sister before they both retired aged 61.

Alice's granddaughter, Megan Williams, will also get a matching owl tattoo this week, as she was unable to join Joan and Kim at their appointment.

Kim added: "Alice was always the stronger twin. This probably would have been her decision if she was still alive.

"When they were born, they didn't have incubators. Nan was only two pounds and they didn't think she'd make it, so they sort of left her to one side.

"But she's outlived everyone. Nothing's ever phased her, she hasn't had any major health problems.

"As long as she can get to Merry Hill and have a fish and chips, she's fine."

Denise Warner, Joan's daughter-in-law added: "Joan is quite the character, she doesn’t take any messing about.

"And she has a creasing sense of humour – she will laugh at anything, it doesn’t matter if it is rude or just ordinary.

"She doesn’t realise just how funny she is."