Shropshire WI member Phyl's arty icing is naughty – but nice

But it's unlikely any of the cheeky pensioner's designs will be featuring on TV's Great British Bake-Off.

For Mrs Cliff specialises in making icing figures – and they're all in the nude.

The pensioner, from Whitchurch, has been making the treats for 25 years, and made a special batch to entertain her fellow members.

And the nude figurines, whose modesty is normally protected with green ivy leaves, proved a big hit with the ladies who have since been asking for their own cake figures.

Mrs Cliff, who is in her 70s and has been a member of the WI for 56 years, said: "We've had lots of fun with these little models, lots of laughter and giggling.

"The guest speaker who was due to come at Christmas had to postpone and I whispered to our secretary that, if they needed someone to fill in, I could do it.

"I didn't tell anyone what I was going to talk about as I thought they would be shocked. I started my talk by saying if anyone is a prude or a bit straight-laced they should probably look for the exit.

"Well, their eyes . . . You could see they had no idea what was coming. I then told them I like to play with flesh-coloured icing and I think they thought I'd gone bonkers.

"When I took out the models everyone laughed. I wish I had had a camera – the reaction was fantastic."

Mrs Cliff first made the models exactly 25 years ago to celebrate her husband John's 50th birthday. But they have proved so popular she now makes them for friends and family on request.

She said: "When John turned 50 I wanted to make him an extra special birthday cake. I had a Jane Asher party cakes book and I saw she had made these nude models so I thought I would make 50 nude ladies and put them on top.

"My husband was painting upstairs and when I placed the ivy leaves on the first lady I laughed so much that he ran downstairs because he thought I was crying. Actually I'd just collapsed laughing.

"It has just snowballed. Now friends and family ask me to make them nude figures and I've been doing it ever since."

While the models may not be what you expect to find on a birthday or wedding cake, Mrs Cliff said each one is unique to the person she is making it for. She estimates she has made between 25 and 30 cakes topped with nude models since she started.

She said: "I make cakes for my friends and always tailor the models to suit their interests. They all have different themes, I've made a nude gardener, nude golfer, even a nude man on a boat."

Mrs Cliff said all her figures had proved popular although she has had the occasional strange look. She said: "I think when you see them you can't help but like them. The only repercussion I've had was when I made our friend a 70th birthday cake. He is a keen gardener so I made a cake with a greenhouse and put a naked lady inside.

"When I took it round, the couple's granddaughter asked why I had put her granny in a greenhouse naked. She was a bit confused. But again we fell about laughing."

Members of Calverhall & Ightfield WI said Mrs Cliff's talk was one of the highlights of the year.

Club president Sally Hulme said: "The talk was brilliant and very amusing. Nobody knew what she was going to talk about so it was a big surprise when she started talking about nude models. But everyone enjoyed it, it was taken in good heart."

Fellow member Daphne Brodie added: "It was very enjoyable and very amusing. She is very keen on decorating cakes and I guess this is her unique take on it."

By Joseph Masi