FORMER English techer Betty Starkey celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends in Burton Bradstock.

The centenarian reached the landmark age on January 7 but had a birthday party in the village hall to celebrate on Saturday afternoon.

Mrs Starkey, who taught at Colfox school from 1958 to 1974, said the secret to her long life was living in Dorset.

She said: “It is such a lovely place, Burton Bradstock particularly.

“I have some very good friends and neighbours.

“They are lovely people.”

Mrs Starkey received a card from the Queen to mark her special day.

She said: “They have gone to a lot of trouble.

“I love the queen. I remember her coming onto the throne.

“She was just a young woman.”

She added that having three lovely daughters was a highlight of her life.

Her three daughters are Anne Briscoe, Sue Brown and Mary Ibbotson. She also has eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

Mrs Briscoe said: “All of our very many congratulations go to her for reaching her 100th birthday.”

Mrs Starkey’s husband Leonard died in 1996.

He served with the RAF in the war and the couple moved to Burton Bradstock in 1952 when he become head of the village school.

He stayed at the school until retiring in 1976.

1913: the year that was l The Romanov dynasty celebrates its 300th anniversary in Russia.

  • Woodrow Wilson becomes the president of the US.
  • Suffragette Emily Davison is killed under the King’s horse at the Epsom Derby.
  • The second Balkan War breaks out.
  • The Camel cigarette brand is introduced in the US, the first packaged cigarette.
  • Born in this year were former US presidents Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon, former Labour leader Michael Foot and actor Danny Kaye.

Others born in this year included American labour leader Jimmy Hoffa, actor Peter Cushing, American football coach Vince Lombardi, athlete Jesse Owens, photojournalist Robert Capa, actor Burt Lancaster, actress Vivien Leigh, writer Albert Camus and composer Benjamin Britten.