Twin sisters Dolly and Kathy celebrate their 101st birthday

Inseparable twin sisters Dolly Elford and Kathy Beasley celebrated their 101st birthday on Wednesday with a small party at their Christchurch home.

Friends and relatives helped to mark the occasion, treating the sisters to a cake, and singing them happy birthday.

Donna Smith, who had helped organise the event, said: “They really enjoyed themselves.

“They had a couple of friends over. Some relatives came from Southampton which they haven’t seen since last year.

Dolly Elford and Kathy Beasley celebrated their 101st birthday with a small party at their Christchurch home. Photo: Donna Smith

“They were very happy. It was really nice. I think all the attention was overwhelming for them though.”

Dolly and Kathy were born as Hope and Faith in 1921 and originally formed identical triplets. They sadly lost their sister, Charity, at the age of 13 to meningitis.

Although born in Southampton, the pair found their forever home in Christchurch, and have remained well-loved sisters in the town.

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Donna said: “They’re very well-known in Christchurch.

“They’re so lovely and adorable. They’re just so cheeky. They’re also tough ladies- they’re not on any medication and they’re 101.”

The identical triplets Hope, Faith and Charity. Photo: Donna Smith

Donna first met the twins at her workplace- Marks and Spencer in Christchurch, and on one occasion helped Kathy after she had lost her bank card.

She said: “I helped them get their new cards and pin numbers so they could get their pensions. That took about 2-3 weeks to do so in that time I was organising their shopping to get them food in the house.

“They didn’t have anyone looking after them, they had a social worker who they rarely saw.

“They didn’t want to go in a home, so I organised carers for them. They now have three carers a day, a panic alarm, a new washing machine and just everything they need.

“I do their shopping for them and make sure they have food in the house.

“The professional carer takes them out. They get out of the house, get their nails painted and go to the hairdressers. We try and make their lives as nice as possible for them.”