THIRTY family members and friends gathered at a pub near Pershore to celebrate the 100th birthday of Nora Burgoyne.

Miss Burgoyne, who is "very independent" and a "very lovely lady" according to the wardens at Cherry Orchard House, Pershore, where she lives, clocked up her century on Saturday.

She is the survivor of five children and spent some of her childhood in an orphanage, following the premature deaths of her parents.

"Nora and her three younger sisters were placed in the Joshua Mason Orphanage in Birmingham," said her nephew, Brian Hassell, who organised the party at The Chequers Inn, Fladbury, near Pershore.

"Her elder brother was already in work and Nora, who was almost 15 at the time of her parents' death, went into service soon after."

Miss Burgoyne, who never married, spent a large part of her life living with cousins in north Wales. She was a keen angler and taught most of her numerous nephews and nieces to fish.

She also likes to bake and still cooks her own weekend meals at the sheltered accommodation.

Cherry Orchard House also organised a party for Miss Burgoyne on Friday, with almost all of the 28 tenants enjoying birthday cake, wine and sherry.

Evesham and Pershore Housing Association chairman, Richard Williams, and chief executive, Ian Hughes, presented Miss Burgoyne with a bouquet.