The 56-year-old with a better body than you: Grey-haired model who featured in Sports Illustrated now stars in a lingerie campaign to promote women of all ages and sizes

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She is the oldest woman to ever star in Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, and now 56-year-old Nicola Griffin continuing to break boundaries by featuring in a lingerie shoot.

The size 16 single mother from Nottingham, who has long, striking grey hair, began modelling to have something to do after her children left home.

Now she's the star of a shoot for SLiNK magazine, the only print plus-size fashion magazine worldwide, for its 'Passion Issue', celebrating passionate women across all ages.

Nicola Griffin stars in this months' SLiNK magazine, the only print plus-size fashion magazine worldwide, in its 'Passion Issue', celebrating passionate women across all ages

The classy images show Nicola dressed in only her underwear in a range of poses. She is shot sitting on the edge of a bathtub, gazing into the distance next to a window, in a bra and shimmery bottoms, and she is also seen lounging in a chair 

The classy images show Nicola dressed in only her underwear in a range of poses. She is shot sitting on the edge of a bathtub, gazing into the distance next to a window, in a bra and shimmery bottoms, and she is also seen lounging in a chair, with a dressing gown undone to reveal her bra and knickers.

Nicola also poses on a bed, in black lace nightwear, and drapes her dressing gown over her shoulders to expose her bra as she stands in front of a mirror. 

Nicola told SLiNK: 'Young girls open magazines and it influences them so much about body image. I think it's very good for them to see different sized women because otherwise they can feel bad about themselves if they don't look like the models.

Nicola told SLiNK: 'Young girls open magazines and it influences them so much about body image. I think it's very good for them to see different sized women because otherwise they can feel bad about themselves if they don't look like the models'

Nicola also poses on a bed, in black lace nightwear, and drapes her dressing gown over her shoulders to expose her bra as she stands in front of a mirror 

Nicola is thrilled with her decision to be a model and strongly encourages any woman who wants to join the industry to do so. She said: 'When you get to 56 you don't know how long you have got left in the world, and this is how you look - so embrace it'

'When you get to 56 you don't know how long you have got left in the world, and this is how you look - so embrace it. 

'I've been young, I've been worried, I've been under pressure. I've felt all those things and I don't want to feel them any more. 

'I'm determined to enjoy each day. I grab every opportunity and make the best of it. That's the path. I'm on now.

'This seems to be my moment and I'm really happy. Life definitely begins over fifty.' 

Nicola says that the key is not listening to what people tell you, and to be brave and strong and pursue your passion

'I'm determined to enjoy each day. I grab every opportunity and make the best of it. That's the path. I'm on now,' Nicola says

This issue of the magazine marks five years for the independent publication. The editor, Rivkie Baum, said she wanted to tackle both the size and age issues that the fashion industry has with the issue of age.

She said: 'We were thrilled to shoot this stunning lingerie story with Nicola. 

'There seems to be a consensus that women start to become invisible not just above a size 10, but also above age 50 too. Nicola is defying all those odds and her passion to represent made her a perfect choice.' 

Talking about her decision to become a model, Nicola said: 'I haven’t heard any negativity.

'I’ve had fantastic feedback from women saying they finally feel they have a model that represents and inspires them. It’s been wonderful.

She advises other women to care less about what other people think of them, telling other aspiring older models: 'The key is not listening to what other people tell you. Brave it out - you’ve got to go for it with a passion. Be brave and strong. You have got nothing to lose and everything to gain.'

Last month, Nicola stunned the fashion world by appearing in Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Edition: a fashion institution since the Sixties known for showcasing scantily clad supermodels.

Not only was Nicola significantly larger and less famous than the average Sports Illustrated model but, at 56, she was the oldest woman ever to have appeared in its pages.

Such is the power and popularity - not just in America - of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition that, since Nicola's photoshoot appeared (as part of a body-positive Swimsuits For All advertising campaign), complete strangers have recognised her in the street.

She finds the body scrutiny very weird. 'I'm shaped like a plank!' she said at the time. 'I'm straight up and down, no waist.' At 5ft 10in tall and curvy, she says she had always avoided bikinis, so the prospect of wearing a metallic, gold one in one of America's most popular magazines was 'horrifying'.

Nicola's modelling career began three years ago when Nicola was standing in a queue at her local bank with her twin daughters, Tabitha and Elly, now 21.

A female scout for a company specialising in hair products for grey hair asked if she would do a test for the company's forthcoming campaign. At the time, Nicola was taken aback.

'It came completely out of the blue, but the girls said, 'Go on, Mum, do it,' so I did. I've always kept my hair in good condition so I was comfortable when I went into the studio.'

The grey hair modelling quickly led to other beauty work, then a lingerie shoot. She was signed to London-based modelling agency Milk Model Management when they spotted her on Facebook. Then came the call from Sports Illustrated, resulting in a bikini photoshoot, which took place over two days in the Caribbean. 

She is the oldest woman to ever star in Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, and now 56-year-old Nicola Griffin continuing to break boundaries by featuring in a lingerie shoot