A FORMER headmistress, awarded an OBE for teaching disadvantaged youngsters in London's East End, has celebrated her 103rd birthday at her Purbeck nursing home.

Kathleen Rawlings marked the special occasion with a party attended by friends, family, residents and staff at the Old Rectory nursing home, Langton Matravers.

Kathleen, who prefers to be called Helen, turned 103 on Saturday.

Nephew Andrew Oliver said: "Helen was born in Walthamstow in 1912 and can even recall the end of World War One."

She trained to be a teacher at Hull University and spend her entire working life teaching, mostly in London.

Mr Oliver explained: "Helen has always believed strongly in helping disadvantaged people, particularly children.

"Thus she focused her career on teaching children with learning difficulties. For the last 15 years of her working life she was headmistress of a school in the East End of London that exclusively taught such disadvantaged children.

"She was well known in the local area and on her retirement, she was awarded the OBE for her services to education and the community."

Helen moved to Swanage 30 years ago. She took French and Italian courses well into her 90s and thoroughly enjoyed them, said Mr Oliver

He added: "She lived in the same house until the end of last year, looking after herself, although over recent years she had some carer support.

"Living in her own home for so long was only possible with the help and support of my sister, Rosemary, and her husband Micky Davey who live in Swanage.

"Her birthday on Saturday was a great time and Helen enjoyed every moment of it, particularly a glass of wine and of course, the cake."