A SPECIAL shaped cake, Scottish dancers and a telegram from the Social Security Secretary Alistair Darling marked the beginning of celebrations for Andover resident Ethel Lewin MBE who has just turned 100.

Mrs Lewin who lives at Clifford House Nursing Home was treated to a birthday coffee morning at Bridge Street Methodist Church.

She was presented with a huge cake in the shape of '100' to commemorate not only her birthday, but 20 years of organising and running coffee mornings at the church.

Mrs Lewin, who was born in York in 1901, moved to Andover with her parents 98 years ago. She says she's led a busy life 'with fingers in lots of pies', and these days enjoys keeping up to date with the newspapers.