'OVER the hill' became 'under the spotlight' this week when golden oldies from all over Lancashire flocked to the Whitbread Senior Citizens Talent Contest regional final.

And pensioner Josephine Iddon, from Walmer Bridge, competed alongside nine other performers taking part in the final last night (June 7) in Morecambe, after beating off stiff competition in a series of heats.

Josephine, pictured, was up against fellow senior citizens from Blackpool and Blackburn, pitting her unique style of Lancashire humour against the singing talents of others.

And when you speak to her it isn't hard to see how her winning way with words is a hit with the judges.

Josephine is no stranger to performing. She sings in a 20-strong amateur group The Jay H Singers and is a member of Lancashire Author's Association, who meet quarterly to discuss poetry and read their own verse.

She's even cracked a few gags on Cilla Black's hit television show Surprise Surprise some years ago.

"I saw the advertisement for the talent contest in the Citizen and couldn't resist having a go," she said in her broad West Lancashire accent and added: "I'm all humour y'know!"

Her performance at the Whitbread competition was of her poem, Everything We Haven't Got, and a selection of her observational jokes.

"I don't know if I will win or not, but as long as I raise a laugh that's the main thing." Josephine said that despite having four children and five grandchildren and taking part in a competition for senior citizens, she doesn't feel old. She added: "A lady is as old as she looks, a man is old when he stops looking!"