A FORMER teacher celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by pupils from a local primary school.

Alice Jones grew up in Sellack and returned to the village school after completing her training to become a teacher.

She stayed there for the next 40 years until the school closed in 1983.

As part of Alice’s 100th birthday celebrations at the West Bank Residential Care Home, pupils from Ashfield Park Primary School helped by singing happy birthday and presenting her with a hand drawn card from each child.

Deputy headteacher Loraine Yearsley said that a lot of their pupil’s parents work at the care home and they were delighted to honour Alice’s 100th birthday by attending on her special day.

But it was not the only occasion when children help celebrate Alice’s milestone birthday.

Jenny Dinsdale and four other childminders from Ross-on-Wye, along with their little ones, presented Alice with a handmade card, a birthday cake, and fresh flowers the day before.

Alice beamed with joy as she joined in singing the nursery rhymes, especially her favourite, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Alice spent her retirement, having moved to Bridstow in 1960, helping out at the local mother and toddler group.

Alice said that she loved the Royal family and even attended Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation in June 1953 in London.

A resident of the residential care home for the past four years, Alice said that receiving a personal birthday card from King Charles and Queen Camila had made her day.

Over the decades, the church had always been part of Alice’s life, spending much of her time at St Tysilio in Sellack and at St Bridget’s Chirch in Bridstow..

Daughter Teresa said that her mother always had the interest of children at heart and when Alice looked after her own grandchildren, they often received additional tuition in English.