AN 'AMAZING' centenarian joked about birthday cards from the Queen cluttering her room as she celebrated her 107th birthday.

Doris Sparling, who lives at Primrose Lodge Southbourne in St Catherine's Road, enjoyed a tea party with the staff and residents to mark the special occasion on Wednesday, December 28.

Claire Brothers, activities co-ordinator at the care home, said: "She had a tea party with everyone so that she could have a cake and her card from the Queen.

"She jokingly asked if she needed it, as it would clutter up her room, but we said that it was a special thing to have.

"We have never had a 107-year-old here before, but we have somebody who is coming up to 101. We always celebrate birthdays, but I guess it was a slightly bigger occasion for Doris's birthday this year."

Claire said that Doris had asked about having a spray tan on her birthday as she remarked how pale she thought her skin had become.

Doris had also previously asked for her nails to be painted silver ahead of Christmas Day to mark the festive occasion.

She added: "She does all her own finances and owned her home until a couple of years ago, which she sold and sorted out herself.

"She's perfectly with it, although her hearing isn't quite as good as it used to be and she keeps us on our toes. She's a real character.

"We have asked Doris about friends in the past, but she has said that she has outlived them."

Doris was born in Kent and then grew up in East London, where she took a job as a secretary at the age of 16, which resulted in her meeting her future husband, Norman.

The couple married in 1947, which Doris pointed out to the care home's staff was the same year that the Queen and Prince Philip held their wedding ceremony, but the difference being that Doris had to collect coupons for her outfit.

Throughout Doris's life, her hobbies included dressmaking, walking and reading, which kept her occupied after Norman died at around the age of 50.

The couple did not have any children, but Doris loves to hear from her niece, Jean, and nephew, John, who live on the Isle of Wight.

She lived in her own home until moving to Primrose Lodge Southbourne in 2011, where she still gets up and gets herself dress with minimal help required from the staff.

Claire said: "In the summer, she likes taking a walk up and down the drive outside in the sun. She's amazing."