Centenarians welcome Queen Mum to club

Annie Worcester, of Westminster House Nursing Home, York, who celebrated her 100th birthday last October, also lived through two world wars and the turmoil of the last century and was quick to congratulate the Queen Mother on her achievement.

She said: "I think she's very nice and she doesn't look old really."

Annie, who was born in York, moved to Essex when she got married and moved back to the city after spending a year in New Zealand living with her daughter, had her own tips for a long life.

"I just live for the day," she said, "and the washing machine changed my life the most, it made things easier."

According to Ian Moorhouse, activities coordinator at Westminster House, Annie's method of keeping safe during the air raids of the Second World War was to stay in bed because she did not like going in the air raid shelter in her garden.

Nowadays she keeps herself on top form by playing lots of games which keep her mind active.

He said: "She's reinvented herself a bit by playing lots of bingo and dominoes. She's very easy-going but she doesn't suffer fools gladly."

War veteran John Shanks, who celebrated his 100th birthday in June, at Manor House Nursing Home, Stamford Bridge, has seen a lot of action in his time serving in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War and the RAF during the Second World War.

He said: "The Queen Mother will be the same age as me but I'm a Lowlander and she's a Highlander. I've had to work hard all my life. When I was 19 I earned six pence an hour and I thought I was a big shot.

"She's never had to work hard. She married well and was a lovely bride. I admire the way she stood by her husband. He had a stutter and she helped him and gave him confidence. She's very strong.

"To a certain extent I think the Royal family still look up to her and still go to her for advice."

Click here for more on the Queen Mother's birthday celebrations and to hear the Minster bells