A RESIDENT of a Verwood care home celebrated her 108th birthday at the weekend, making her officially the 84th oldest person in Britain.

Freda Stevens was joined at Waypoints care home by five generations of her family to mark her milestone moment on Sunday.

Freda's granddaughter Carolyn Furber told the Daily Echo: "We've had a party at the home with friends, family and staff. We've had a cake and she's had a birthday card from the Queen - it has been lovely.

"She's had grandchildren, great-grandchildren and even a great-great-grandchild here to celebrate."

When Freda was asked how it felt to celebrate her108th birthday, she wryly replied: "The same as it felt when I celebrated my 107th."

Freda, who was born in 1910, grew up in a small village in Norfolk, the ninth of ten siblings.

During the First World War one of her sister's died when she was poisoned working in a munitions factory and two brothers were killed in action.

A care home spokesman explained: "As years passed, Freda finished her school and started her first job as a parlour maid and then she went to Yorkshire with her family for two months for a holiday which is where she met her husband Reg.

"They married not long after and they were married for 60 years. Freda was 28 when she gave birth to her beautiful daughter Pauline.

"During the Second World War, they all lived in Yorkshire and her husband was in the RAF. After Reg retired from the RAF they moved to London to search for new jobs."

Freda, Reg and Pauline moved to Poole Lane in West Howe in 1962.

The couple later moved into an annexe at Pauline’s house in Ashley Heath in 1987 before Reg died 25 years ago.

The care home spokesman continued: "Freda is now a resident at Waypoints care home in Verwood and is much loved by all the team here. She loves daily visits from her family and she also goes home once a week with her daughter for lunch.

Freda really enjoys all the pampering activities within the home and also loves reading lots of romantic novels."