Enjoying a glass of champagne in her best dress and pearls it is hard to believe Betty Holliday is 100.

But she recently celebrated her milestone birthday surrounded by family and friends – and plenty of cake.

Known as a mean Scrabble player, Betty has lived in Southampton for more than 50 years and enjoyed a life of travelling around the world.

After meeting her husband Leslie while working at an aircraft factory during the Second World War, the couple moved with their two daughters to South Africa.

Betty single-handedly saved her daughters’ Brownie group from going under and became a District Commissioner before moving back to England and working at the Royal South Hampshire Hospital.

In retirement, Betty was a keen volunteer for the charity shop Scope in Portswood and now enjoys keeping her mind active with crosswords and remembering morse code from her Girl Guide days. Betty said: “It feels good to reach 100, it never crossed my mind that I would but I’m perfectly happy.”

The grandmother of six and great-grandmother of 11 now lives in a care home on The Avenue, Southampton and Betty’s family say she is content and relaxed.

Her daughter, Jane, 67 said: “It’s a great milestone, although we’re not surprised as her own mother lived to over 100. Mum has a very young outlook on life and it’s lovely to celebrate with all the family.”