WHEN Elmers End grandmother-of-five Julie Etter saw David Dimbleby in the news getting a tattoo recently, she didn’t know what the fuss was about.

A year earlier, Julie, 75, had taken herself down to Tattoo Tech in Penge to have the likeness of her idol, Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara, permanently etched on her arm.

Julie said: “I have always admired him for what he did – a freedom fighter. I have read all of his books.

“I was lucky to hear his daughter speak at the House of Commons.

“I think I have everything about him so this was the next step.”

“I’m what you call an activist - some people might call me a bloody nuisance. I hate injustice. I have to fight injustice.

“I have been on all the marches to save Lewisham Hospital.”

And you wouldn’t catch Julie flinching like those famous pictures of the Question Time presenter.

She said: “It didn’t hurt at all. It was just like a little scratch.

“You saw all these things about David Dimbleby getting a tattoo at 75 and I thought ‘so what?’”

It may not be the sort of behaviour you would typically expect from a pensioner, but Julie said the reaction from friends and family has been overwhelmingly positive.

She said: “They all liked it. I have not had any adverse comments. They know it is in my character.”

Julie is not ruling out more in the future, and is even toying with the idea of a tribute to Nelson Mandela.