A great-grandmother born two years before the outbreak of World War One has celebrated her 102nd birthday at a Winchester care home.

Constance ‘Connie’ Duddridge welcomed friends and family to Colten Care’s Abbotts Barton home where she has lived for the past six years.

Among the guests enjoying afternoon tea, birthday cake and a glass of Pimms was the Mayor of Winchester, Councillor Eileen Berry.

Dee Lovewell, Abbotts Barton Head of Care, said: “Many of our residents came along as well as some of Connie’s family.

The Mayor was delighted that she was invited and happily joined in the celebrations. Connie had a lovely afternoon and smiled throughout.”

One of five children, Connie was born in the Leicestershire mining village of Moira. She met her late husband Gordon in Birmingham in the 1930s and her hobbies have included amateur drama, poetry, gardening, dressmaking and golf.

Asked for her secret of a long life, she said: “Be happy, don’t drink too much and never do too much at one time.”

Family-run Colten Care owns and operates 19 care homes across Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire.

Connie is one of 24 centenarians among the residents. Colten Care’s services include residential, nursing, respite and dementia care.