Shropshire's Diana is on a roll in Bake Off challenge

Diana said bread week, the most recent episode of BBC1's The Great British Bake-Off, had left her "battered and bruised" but she had enjoyed watching how the other contestants put their creations together.

The 69 year old, from Alkington, near Whitchurch - the show's oldest ever contestant - said she had enjoyed tuning in each week, despite initially joking that she might not watch herself.

Mrs Beard said: "You don't see what others have made because you're just in your own little world when baking, so it's nice to see what everybody else was doing.

"After each show we get to taste everyone's food, so I like seeing how they made it. After we filmed this week's, I really enjoyed Chetna's bread with all the spices."

She was also impressed with Luis Troyano's Spanish crown topped with gold-foiled olives

"Luis's was very elaborate," said Mrs Beard. "I just keep things traditional so I'd never have thought of what he did."

Mrs Beard's bread bought about another infamous "soggy bottom" moment, with judges enjoying the chance to squeeze in some innuendo.

"It makes good telly so you just have to take it on the chin unless you're like some of the younger ones," she said.

"They challenge the opinions and I really think that's fantastic."

Mrs Beard had previously admitted she was "dreading bread week".

"My weakness is bread because we always had a village baker," she confessed.

Concentrating on baking perfectly could be difficult in competition situations, she explained, and is "especially tough for those who are mature".

But despite her fears, BBC viewers saw Diana impress the judges with her bread creations on Wednesday night's programme and make it through to the next round, where she will be challenged to bake self-saucing puddings, a tiramisu cake as the "technical challenge" and Baked Alaska for the "show stopper".

Mrs Beard said: "Bread week may have left me battered and bruised but I was not broken. I lived to fight another day, it seems.

"It wasn't too bad in the end."

The grateful contestant said she felt "like part of a little family" with the other members of the group and would encourage anybody interested in cooking to apply for the show.

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into but how can you improve if you don't try? I couldn't believe I was accepted.

"I don't think I could show my best because there's so much pressure. It was worth it for the experience though," she added.

To see how Mrs Beard gets on next week, tune into BBC1 for The Great British Bake Off at 8pm on Wednesday.

By Jessica Hearne