FAMILY members toasted the life of Nora Irene Edbrooke this week as she celebrated her 100th birthday.

Nora was born in Surrey on December 7, 1916, and spent time living in Kent and Warwick before moving to Wilmslow nine years ago.

The Anchor Court resident was joined by her two daughters, Gail O’Hagan and Pat Willis, Pat’s husband Geoff Willis, and two of her granddaughters, Rochelle and Lyndsey O’Hagan, on the big day.

“I can’t believe that I am 100, it seems incredible,” Nora told the Guardian.

“It’s been terrific, the cards came at 10.30am by post, special delivery, and it’s all happened since then.

“I have my family round me, we’ve been to The Merlin for lunch, and it’s been terrific – it’s an honour really.”

With three children, six grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren, Nora has a big family supporting her.

She met her husband, William ‘Trevor’ Edbrooke, during the Second World War, after she had been evacuated from London to Cardiff.

Trevor was a master mariner in the merchant navy, and served both abroad and in home trade before his untimely death in 1960, before Nora went on to raise her family and pursue a long and impressive career.

She said: “I was 36 when I was widowed with three children.

“I was trained as a bookkeeper, went on to local government, and then on to the civil service and the Ministry of Defence.

“I was a clerical assistant there for eight years, and then I had to retire at 65. I didn’t want to, I really enjoyed it – I was very sad to go.

“But I’ve always had a supportive family, they’ve been terrific.”

Gail and Pat agreed that their mother’s “active mind” has kept her busy on the way to becoming a centenarian.

“Mum’s an ex-champion at Scrabble, she always does word searches and she’s got a very active mind,” Gail said.

“She lives here, which is semi-independent, she’s still in her own little flat and that’s some going at 100.”

Pat added: “She’s done a brilliant job – we’re all very proud.”