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Guinness World Records confirms Suffolk woman as oldest female squash player

Shaun Whitmore/BBC Margaret Armstrong, oldest active female squash playerShaun Whitmore/BBC
Margaret Armstrong, aged 85, plays squash twice a week alongside several games of tennis

A grandmother has become the world record holder for the oldest active female squash player.

Margaret Armstrong, 85, from Dalham near Newmarket in Suffolk, was awarded the title by Guinness World Records.

Mrs Armstrong plays the sport twice weekly along with some tennis, despite having had a her left foot reattached after a car accident several years ago.

She said she likes the game,"because you don't have to run as much if you know what you're doing".

The octogenarian was encouraged to go for the world record title by a friend who "suggested to me there couldn't be many people my age playing squash".

Her daughter Claire did all the paperwork which involved providing her birth certificate and referees' reports to confirm she was still playing the game.

Mrs Armstrong said she was sporty from an early age, learning to play football when she was aged eight.

"Two Everton football players, Tommy Farrell and Peter Eglington taught me ball control," she said.

A member of the England netball team, she moved onto tennis, but due to a lack of indoor courts, decided to try squash after getting fed-up with turning out for matches in rainy weather.

Shaun Whitmore/BBC Margaret Armstrong, with her certificate showing she is the world's oldest active female squash playerShaun Whitmore/BBC
A car accident which severed her foot leading to reconstructive surgery has done nothing to slow Mrs Armstrong love of playing sport

She joined Northwood squash club in north London when the Egyptian player Abou Taleb, winner of the British Open three times, saw her playing and decided to coach her.

Mrs Armstrong said: "Instead of aimlessly bashing the ball around the court, I actually learnt to use the four walls.

"This is why I'm still playing I think. Because you don't have to run as much if you know what you're doing."

A car accident in 2015 could have ended her sporting prowess.

She was airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital and after three operations the surgeons managed to reattach her foot to her leg.

"I cause chaos when I go through airports check-ins, because my foot is attached to my leg by titanium plate and also by 19 pins.

"I'm the bionic woman."

Margaret Armstrong Margaret Armstrong with Abou Taleb, who was a world champion playerMargaret Armstrong
Margaret Armstrong with her coach Abou Taleb, a former world champion player
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