Red wine every day for 100-year-old Norah

Norah Tomlinson, who turned 100 on Friday (February 14) celebrated her special birthday by enjoying a family meal at The Shard Riverside Inn in Hambleton, with afternoon tea at her home on Queen's Promenade, Bispham.

Born in Darwen, Lancashire in 1920, she began her life on the Fylde coast just over ten years ago after running a post office in Wiltshire for the majority of her life, with her husband Harry.

Harry died in 2012 aged 91, and was famously the last surviving member of HMS Kelly, the navy ship commanded by Lord Mountbatten during the second world war.

Norah and Harry never had any children, but Eva Tomlinson, who is married to Norah's nephew Derek, said she doted upon all of her family.

Eva and Derek now live in Sauviac in France, and came back to Blackpool to celebrate their aunt's milestone birthday and thank her for the kindness she has shown them throughout their lives.

Norah's other nephew, Geoff, lives in Cheshire and has also travelled back to the seaside resort for her birthday with his wife Mavis.

With family gathered around her, Mrs Tomlinson attributed her long life to "no snacking between meals, and a glass of red wine every day."

Niece Eva said: "She is such a lovely lady, I'm so glad we could come back to celebrate this special birthday with her.

"Because Norah and Harry had no children, it's extra important to spend time with her.

"Family is the most important thing in the world."

Although centenarians make up a small proportion of the total UK population (0.02 per cent in 2016), the numbers have grown from 7,750 in 2002 to 14,910 in 2017 according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The rise means there are now two out of every 10,000 people in the UK.