It was a century not-out for Winchester resident, Elsie Lewington, as she celebrated her 100th birthday.

Elsie has lived in the city since the 1930s, having been born in Retford in Nottinghamshire on August 31st 1902.

She says of her childhood home: "It's a delightful little town, quite similar to Winchester."

Elsie moved to Hampshire in 1927, living for a while in the Shirley area of Southampton, before moving to Winchester with her husband, Leonard.

"I remember thinking in the 1930s perhaps there would be a war. We were quite lucky in Winchester in the end, especially that we didn't get any bombs on the cathedral," she said.

After the war Elsie took a job as a secretary at All Saints Primary School in Winchester, where her husband, Leonard, was the headmaster.

The couple had one son, called Peter, and Elsie now has three grandchildren.

She has lived at King Harold Court in St Cross, Winchester, for the last 14 years. On the day of her 100th birthday the other residents at the court joined her for a celebration.

Said Elsie: "They had a party for me in the common room, and I'm not exaggerating to say that it was really wonderful."