THE home of a Prudhoe centenarian was filled with visitors and gifts to celebrate her 100th birthday.

Lily Dodd, born on August 18, 1918, celebrated the milestone earlier this month surrounded by family, friends and carers.

Born in Newcastle, Lily moved to Prudhoe when she was around 10 years old after her father got a job working for the water board, looking after a pumping station at West Wylam.

She spent the next 90 years living in the town, where she met her husband Kenneth Dodd, who she married in Prudhoe Methodist Chapel.

The couple had one daughter, Joan, when Lily was 29. Lily is visited regularly by Joan and her only granddaughter, Beth.

Lily declared there was no secret to her long life, although Joan added: “She doesn’t drink, she doesn’t smoke and until very recent years she has always done lots of crosswords.”

Asked what it feels like to turn 100, Lily said: “It feels no different!”

During her working life, Lily spent some time doing office work in the old ICI factory in Low Prudhoe, before she went to work as a nurse with disabled children at Prudhoe Hall – where she worked for many years until she reached retirement age.

Despite reaching the grand age of 100, Lily still retains her independence and lives on her own at her house in Prudhoe.

She is supported by carers from Burn Brae, who visit four times a day.

In her spare time, she enjoys going to the Metrocentre to look around the shops, reading and watching the horse racing.

To mark her special day, around 30 people who are close to Lily gathered at her home, which was filled with flowers, chocolates, gifts, balloons and decorations. She was also over the moon to receive a card from the Queen.