Great grandmother Vera Locke, who moved to Royal Wootton Bassett from Purton 23 years ago, celebrated her 100th birthday with bouquets of flowers and about a hundred cards, including one from the Queen.

Mrs Locke, who still lives independently, enjoys cooking, listening to the radio and going out with members of her family. Both her daughters live in the area, and she has four grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Her birthday celebrations included a phone call from her nephew and niece in New Zealand and a Sunday tea party for 60 guests at The Red House in Purton, the village where her two remaining sisters “the youngest in the family” are, both in their 80s.

Mrs Locke was born at Mildenhall, near Marlborough, and on the day after leaving school, aged 14, she began her working life in service at Folly Farm, in Savernake Forest.

“It was a very lonely place, and I had never been away from home before, even for a day,” she said. She worked in the Marlborough area until she was 18, when she followed her sisters to London, for a job at a big house in Wimbledon. There she met a window cleaner who was employed regularly at several of the area’s imposing residences. So began their courtship.

They were married in Wimbledon in 1934 and continued to live in London until war was declared in 1939. Mrs Locke and her daughter returned to live at her parents’ smallholding in Purton. They stayed on throughout Mr Locke’s wartime service with the Army, which included his evacuation from Dunkirk.

After the war, the family moved into a newly built house at Reid’s Piece, Purton, where their youngest daughter was born in 1948. Sadly, Mrs Locke was widowed 41 years ago, but she has enjoyed an active life, and the love and care of her family.

At home, in her cosy flat, amid an amazing array of birthday cards, she said: “I thank God I can do my own jobs and cooking!”

In recent years Mrs Locke has had slight heart attacks and mini-strokes, but she is cheerful and optimistic.

“The tablets keep working well. I am grateful I still have a brilliant memory,” she said.

“I’m a bit hard of hearing but haven’t got around to needing a hearing aid yet!”