Sophia Loren has been voted the world's most naturally beautiful person, at the age of 71.

The sultry Italian star beat a host of younger names such as Cameron Diaz and Pirates of the Caribbean actor Johnny Depp to the title.

Loren puts her curves and complexion down to "a love of life, spaghetti, and the odd bath in virgin olive oil".

The silver screen icon has spoken about resisting pressure to have cosmetic surgery on her nose early in her career.

Her status as one of the world's sex symbols shows no signs of diminishing - she is appearing in next year's Pirelli calendar, alongside Penelope Cruz and Naomi Watts.

Even the Archbishop of Genoa once observed that although the Vatican opposed human cloning, "an exception might be made in the case of Sophia Loren".

Second place goes to grey-haired heart-throb George Clooney followed by curvy Welsh opera turned pop star Charlotte Church.

Catherine Zeta Jones is next, followed by Depp, Kate Winslet and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Actor Jack Black is eighth, followed by Hollywood actress Diaz and presenter Gail Porter, who gets into the list for being "comfortable with who she is" despite losing her hair.

The online poll asked 1,578 people for their verdict on the world's most naturally beautiful, for The Dare To Be Bare Awards for celebrities who do not conform to stereotypes.

The world's top 10 naturally beautiful people:
1. Sophia Loren