Most women worry about the signs of ageing – but it doesn’t have to be a losing battle. Here, five inspiring women tell DAILY MAIL’s DEBORAH DOOLEY how you really can look better than you did 20 years ago. so what’s their secret?

Happier now than when they were younger: Clockwise from bottom left: Julie Stansfield (seated in grey), Alison Crossley, Angela Thornton, Anne Morgan and Deborah Kelly

Deborah Kelly, 44, is a demonstrator of beauty products, from Essex. She is married to Kieran Kelly, 42, a software consultant. She says:

When I was in my early 20s, the combination of a strict upbringing and a lack of confidence made me unsure of what really worked for me. And being teased about my nose at school – the children used to call me Concorde – did nothing for my self-esteem.

Things started to change in my mid-20s when I was working for a TV company, promoting and marketing. I met a lot of glamorous people and became more aware of how I looked.

When a friend suggested I speak to a well-known cosmetic surgeon about having my nose and teeth done, I jumped at the idea.

He removed a bump from my nose, did corrective dental treatment and plumped up my lips with a bit of permanent filler. In return, I wrote an article about the treatment for a magazine.

I looked so much better and my confidence grew and grew. My friends were amazed.

But my work was the most important thing in my life. Over the next ten years, as well as having a demanding job, I trained in alternative health and beauty therapies. I’m a trained dancer, and I did a lot of performances as well as some acting and modelling.

The real turning point came four years ago when I joined a friendship website called Christian Connections and met Kieran. I fell head over heels in love. He is ever so romantic and says he was blown away by my appearance.

He calls me his ‘supermodel’. Kieran and I married on Valentine’s day last year. I’ve never been happier and it shows.

I work full-time in the beauty industry, but my dream is to get back into performing and modelling. With my new-found glow, I really believe it’ll happen.