Patriotic pensioner is Olympics' biggest fan, Hands down (From Surrey Comet)

Patriotic Thames Ditton pensioner is Olympics' biggest fan, Hands down

8:10am Tuesday 3rd July 2012 in News By Louise Robertson

A patriotic pensioner had a Union Jack dyed in to her head to show her support for Britain during the Olympics.

Hersham resident Nora Hands got the eye-catching hair-do done at Ditton Klippers in Thames Ditton.

Hairdresser Gari Corbett said he tried to talk the plucky 80-year-old out of having it done, but she was having none of it.

Sports fan Miss Hands said: “I’ve had so many people come up to me and comment on it. One man wanted to take a picture on his mobile phone, and people have been tooting me at the bus stop.

“I’m grey as a badger normally so I’m really milking it. I’m lapping it up like a cat licks cream.”

Mr Corbett said the hairstyle took four-and-a-half hours and was the most unusual request he had ever had from a pensioner.

He said: “She is talking about going bright orange next and she had some hot pink in the past – she’s definitely not afraid of something different.”

Miss Hands said she reached 80 and decided it was time to do something different.

She said she felt she was having a second childhood and was thrilled to do her bit in jubilee year to support the Olympics, although did not remember the 1948 Games in Britain.

She said: “I think Britain is a great country in spite of what people say. I like the Olympics and like to watch sport – especially the tennis.”

Miss Hands said she hoped the hair would last throughout the Olympics, but had been taking an umbrella and head scarf out with her just in case.