No mystery why Toyah's nifty at 50

Toyah's wild punk rocker days are long gone. She's just hit 50 and she's on a healthy note, writes Women's Editor Maria Cusine.

She may have just turned 50, but age is just a number to Toyah Willcox who says she feels liks she's just 12-years-old.

"Middle age is a great place to be," says the singer. "I'm enjoying life immensely and I don't feel as though I'm growing old. I actually feel as if I'm 12 years old," she laughs.

The Birmingham-born star, who rose to fame in the 80s for her wild punk hair-dos and hits such as It's A Mystery, says she feels as healthy as she has in a long time.

Which is just as well as she was in Birmingham city centre this week to launch a campaign aimed at boosting women's health.

Toyah, who turned 50 last month, launched a Women Against Cholesterol tour and underwent a live test herself in front of onlookers. And she discovered her level was a healthy 4.0.

"It's lower than it was five years ago, but I do have a healthy diet," she says. "And I don't actually eat huge amounts. I'm very, very short, barely 5ft, so I can make 1,500 calories a day go a long way."

The former pop star, who now lives in Pershore, Worcestershire, says she stays clear of processed food. "I try to eat my five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. I'm quite a vegetable freak," she laughs.

Qualified nurses and dieticians offered their advice to female shoppers in Chamberlain Square as part of the campaign by cholesterol lowering food company Benecol.

It comes as a poll of Benecol showed three quarters of women in the West Midlands did not realise they have a greater risk of heart disease after going through the menopause due to a decline in oestrogen levels.

"Many people think it's just men who suffer high cholesterol. We have this image of pot bellies and beer drinkers but women are prone to it too.

"It's never too late to look after your health. It's easy enough - eat better food and get more exercise," says Toyah, who was face of the Black Country's £50 million lottery jackpot bid.

"I'm 50 now and that's a really important time for women to get tested as they are gong through the menopause. Women should be pro-active and be in control of their lives."

Toyah also laughed off reports that her marriage was unconventional. The singer is married to musician Robert Fripp, guitarist with the band King Crimson.

"The latest reports implied that we didn't live together. We do - my husband lives in England with me.

"He does go off on tour every now and again and I'm also going on my own tour for three months later this year, but we do live together," she says.

She adds: "I've got a busy 12 months, but I do love having lots on. I've just finished filming for the Secret Diary of a Call Girl and in September I'm taking to the road in Vampires Rock."

The horror-rock spectacular, which comes to Wolverhampton's Wulfrun Hall in October, includes numbers by Meat Loaf, Bon Jovi, Queen, Whitesnake and AC/DC.

"I'm doing 42 dates and very much looking forward to it," she says.

It seems there is plenty to keep the singer busy. "I'm not going to retire," she says. "They'll have to fly me to the moon to get rid of me," she laughs.