WHEN Georgina Atkinson was born, George V was on the throne, women did not have the right to vote and the First World War was yet to break out.

She has now celebrated her 107th birthday surrounded by fellow residents at Maiden Castle House in Dorchester.

Although she could not have any family inside the home due to coronavirus restrictions, staff organised for her son Franz to sing her happy birthday from outside her window.

Rachel Sohorye, manager at the home, said: "It got quite emotional when she saw and heard him through the window."

Ms Atkinson was born on January 31, 1914 in Trieste, Italy. The eldest of four siblings, both her parents had passed away by the time she was just 14-years-old and she moved into a children's home run by the Lutheran Church.

She joined the Salvation Army in Italy when she was 18 and served as a full-time Salvation Army officer. When Italy joined the Second World War, she had to work undercover so as not to arouse the suspicion of Mussolini, the Italian Prime Minister, and his troops.

Ms Atkinson married her partner Matthew and the two of them moved to England in 1949, although she returned to Italy to work for the Salvation Army in Naples, supporting poor families in the local community and at a holiday home for children on the island of Ischia.

She remains in contact with members of the Salvation Army in Weymouth.

Ms Atkinson has four children who live across the UK, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She also recently became a great-great-grandmother when the newest arrival to the family, Daisy, was born in January 2021.

A spokesman for Maiden Castle House said: "Although her 107th could not be celebrated with her whole family around her, our oldest resident Georgina was blessed with many cards and flowers, greetings and best wishes from her family, friends and colleagues around the world.

"She received her fourth birthday card from The Queen which holds pride of place in her room at Maiden Castle House."