A WESTBURY woman has celebrated her 100th birthday with her family and friends and a visit from the town crier.

Rena Bradley received her congratulatory telegram from the Queen, hand delivered by Westbury town crier John Hadfield in full regalia, on Friday.

Her two sons, Stephen and Martin, had travelled all the way from New Zealand with their wives for the celebration.

Rena said: “It’s been a lovely surprise. I never expected to live this long.”

She was born Rena Weir in 1919 following the end of the First World War to Amy and Thomas Henry Weir in Halifax, West Yorkshire.

Rena had two step-brothers, Bert and Arnold Gledhill, and a sister Ruby, who died very young.

She grew up in Halifax and after leaving school was a factory worker, before she and attended the local Sunnyside School until the age of 14, when she went to work at Wood Harrison, making industrial clothing such as white coats, boilersuits and aprons.

When the Second World War came, the factory began making uniforms for the Royal Navy.

Rena left at the age of 21 to sharpen circular saws for a company making munitions for Britain’s armed forces.

She married Frederick Bradley, a local butcher, on October 31, 1942.

Rena recalled: “He came back home on a 48-hour embarkation pass in December 1942 and I didn’t see him again for three years.”

She had her first son, Stephen, now aged 70, in 1948, followed by Martin, now 67, three years later.

Both sons each had two children. Stephen’s daughter Suzanne sadly died aged 10, and his son Christian is now 45, while Martin had Neil, 45, and Stacey, 43.

Mrs Bradley now has eight great-grandchildren, seven boys and one girl.

In 1962, Rena and Fred moved to Iver Heath in South Buckinghamshire, and both retired in 1981, when they moved to a bungalow in Dilton Marsh.

After Fred died in 2003 his wife lived there until two years ago, when she moved to the Westbury Court care home. She enjoys an active life, and is an enthusiastic user of her Ipad to keep up with news from the UK and the rest of the world.

She also Facetimes her two sons in New Zealand, and the rest of her family.

She says there’s “no secret” to a long and happy life, other than working hard and having good health.

But she added: “I have been in and out of every local hospital and have surprised myself. I never really expected to live this long.”

Rena celebrated her birthday with a family party, complete with Prosecco and a entertainer.