Two Hampshire centenarians have celebrated landmark birthdays over the Easter weekend.

Great-great-grandmother Dorothy Larner celebrated her 104th birthday with a game of bingo with her friends at her home in Hordle.

The pensioner – whose two daughters Maureen Dalziel and Valerie Nichel are 81 and 78 respectively – was joined by her family for a concert at her home.

Asked the secret to a long and healthy life, she said it was spending time in the company of others.

“I like people, I don’t like my own company. I eat well and I sleep well. I’m not going to worry about things. I do worry of course, but it’s silly things. I just like life, I like meeting people,” she said.

Born and raised near Harrow, Dorothy moved to Hampshire after her husband died in 1990.

She had three children, including a son who died in his 60s, and has four grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Yesterday another Dorothy – Dorothy Ellen Saunders, who was born and bred in Freemantle and Shirley – celebrated her 100th birthday. She attended Western School until she left at 14 to work for fruit and vegetable wholesalers Oakley and Watling.

Later her sister got her a job working for the restaurant at the Odeon Cinema, Southampton, and Dorothy stayed for 32 years, eventually becoming the restaurant manager, until she retired at the age of 68.

Dorothy then volunteered with the Red Cross at Southampton General Hospital for around 20 years.

Dorothy’s husband Fred died 25 years ago – they were married for 40 years.

She is still active, lives in Shirley and regularly visits Shirley and Millbrook Conservative Club.

When asked the secret of a long and happy life she said: “Keep working and look after everybody else. Don’t relax because it doesn’t get you anywhere.”