A SPRIGHTLY Kidderminster great-grandmother who is believed to be the oldest person living in the town is celebrating her 105th birthday today (Saturday, June 9).

Daisy May Kench received well wishes from The Queen, as well as the secretary of state for work and pensions Esther McVey MP, for her landmark birthday which prompted tears of joy from the staunch royalist.

Mrs Kench is a resident at Nightingale Court Care Home, on Comberton Hill, who threw a party for her and presented her with flowers and a birthday cake made by carers.

She was also treated to a celebratory barbecue with her family, including 74-year-old daughter Diane and grandson Jonathan, three grandaughters  Heidi, Rebecca and Fiona and nine great-grandchildren.

Staff at Nightingale said Mrs Kench is still very active, taking pride in keeping her room clean and going out on day trips with fellow residents.

Mrs Kench was born in Birmingham on June 9 1913 and was the second oldest of seven children. She grew up in Aston and Handsworth before she married husband Fred when she was 22.

She worked as a cleaner in Birmingham before doing her bit for the Second World War effort, assembling parts in munitions factories in Birmingham.

Her husband died a number of years ago. She lived in her own apartment in Kidderminster before moving to Nightingale around 18 months ago.

She said: “This is all wonderful. The cake they have made is lovely and I love the flowers too.

“I don’t feel very different really. I put my long life down to working hard all my life.

“We didn’t have much money when I was younger. There were a lot of poor people around but we were all happy.”

Home manager Susan Wilkinson said: “She is like a whirlwind in the home. She loves tidying up, helping everybody and is very happy having a joke.

“Daisy is a wonderful, remarkable lady and she is known as ‘The Queen’ around the home!”