AN INSPIRATIONAL centen-arian from Christchurch celeb-rated her 100th birthday with a surprise party on Saturday.

Florence Butler, who is known to her friends as Jenny, was treated to the special event, featuring food, drink, cake and a card from the Queen, in the garden of her friend and neighbour, Sue Vere.

It was attended by members of Jenny’s family, her neighbours from the block of flats where she lives and other residents from Grove Road, in recognition of her 100th birthday, on August 6.

Sue said: “She went out last Wednesday which is her actual birthday with myself and other friends for a meal, but the real big event was arranged for Saturday.

“We organised the party as a surprise for her and she didn’t know that everyone would be joining her in the garden to help celebrate until she came through the front door.

“I just think ‘If you can’t go to town and celebrate on your 100th birthday, then when can you?’”

Sue described Jenny as a really remarkable, independent and inspirat-ional lady.

“She loves to knit for the Royal Bourne-mouth Hospital Lea-gue of Friends shop, take on 1,000-word jigsaw puzzles and enjoys the crossword and puzzle books.

“She is still very fit and able, climbing up and down the stairs to her flat, to go off to Christchurch or Boscombe to do her shopping, she is never still, and really looks after herself.

“At the rate she gets on with things, we are soon going to have to plan for her 101st birthday.”