PHYLLIS Ponting made her century on December 10, having lived what most would describe as an interesting life.

The Crammer Court, Devizes, pensioner celebrated reaching her 100th birthday at her home.

Town mayor Judy Rose visited Mrs Ponting on her special day. The centenarian said she was also very happy to receive a card from the Queen.

As head of the family she has four children, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

She was born in Devizes and has always lived in the town. She married twice, first to Jim Holloway and then after being widowed found happiness again with Ronald Ponting.

Last year hit the headlines when she received letters by special delivery - mail which she had given up hope of nearly 80 years ago.

She never heard from her fiancee Bill Walker after he was posted to India during the Second World War.

Decades later she was presented with love letters written by Mr Walker that were sent to the bottom of the sea when the SS Gairsoppa was attacked by German U-boats in February 1941.

In one he wrote about seeing her acceptance of his marriage proposal. He said: “I wish you could have been there when I opened it. I wept with joy. I could not help it. If you could only know how happy it made me darling.”

Incredibly the treasure trove of lost letters were recovered in almost pristine condition and are now part of an exhibition at London’s Postal Museum Voices From The Deep.

Mrs Ponting was tracked down after BBC’s The One Show did a feature on the letter, with someone reading it out on air.

She then had a visit from a representative of the London Postal Museum and was presented with copies of the letter, which she couldn’t believe were still readable.