A great-gran is the proud owner of the world’s oldest unopened Easter egg which is still in mint condition – after 62 years.
Hillion Fern, 75, who lives in Cardigan, was given the sweet treat when she was 13 but couldn’t bear to eat it - despite being a self-confessed chocoholic.
The nine inch tall egg is still in its original cellophane wrapping and contains a bag of toffees and chocolates.
The retired wildlife trust worker now pays £80-a-month to have the chocolate egg kept in a cool storage container to prevent it melting.
Hillion, who has two grown-up children, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild, said: “I still remember the day I was given it.
“It was simply too pretty that I didn’t want to eat it.
“I thought to myself, ‘I’ll keep it until Whitsun’ but I then never ate it, so then I thought,
‘Oh, I will keep it until Christmas’ and then Christmas came and went.
“It became a bit of a challenge after that to see how long I could hold out.
“I am quite impressed with my willpower because I have always loved chocolate.
“There was something special about the egg I wanted to keep and after a while it became too precious to eat.
“I’m sure it’s a world beater. I’ve heard of old Easter eggs before but never unwrapped. I’m confident this is a record.
“To protect the egg from melting I paid for it go into storage. It might seem silly but I want to make sure it remains in perfect condition.
“It’s in Warwickshire but I have moved to be nearer my daughter in Wales but when I did live nearby I would actually go and visit it occasionally.
Hillion moved from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, with her now late husband David to Cardigan in 2011.
Her father Aubrey Daulman bought the egg in 1960 from a local shop called Sharps who decorated it with yellow icing in the shape of daffodils.
She added: “The sugar daffodils used to be bright yellow but now they are turning a bit brown but the egg is still intact and all of the chocolates and toffees are still inside.
“I couldn’t eat it now, even if I wanted to, but it has just become part of the family now and I will keep it forever.”