Four generations of a Cleveleys family celebrate Irene's 100th Birthday

Irene Hannah White of Rutland Avenue was surrounded by family members, neighbours and friends – plus the mayor and mayoress – at her Cleveleys home.

Irene enjoyed a buffet, cake and prosecco and received a card each from the Queen and Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd.

Son-in-law David Taylor said: “It was a brilliant day. There were 40-plus people there, including the deputy mayor and mayoress of Wyre, Barry and Colette Birch, along with people from her church.”

Daughter Rita said the whole family had been looking forward to the big day and making a fuss of her mum.

She said: “My mum always like things done properly. My dad Frederick, used to refer to her as ‘the countess’.”

Irene was the youngest of eleven children. Her parents moved to England from Dublin after the First World War as her father served in the Irish Guards and many people who fought for Britain felt victimised during Ireland’s independence struggle.

They moved to Liverpool where she worked for department store Lewis’s before joining her electrical engineer husband in their own shop. The couple had a love of dancing.

Irene moved to Cleveleys to be near to her daughter.

Among the family celebrating were grandsons Nick and Alex with great grand children Olivia, Kate, Emma, Iona and 13 week-old Leon.

Other close family members include step-granddaughter Skye, Rita’s late sister Diane’s son Dorian, his wife Yvonne and son Max.