WEYMOUTH Centenarian Winifred True celebrated her milestone birthday with nearly 80 family and friends at a surprise afternoon tea in Chickerell.

Mrs True was born in the hamlet of Wyke near Sherborne and was one of seven children.

Her daughter Daphne Crump explained: “She spent most of her childhood living in the wilds.

“Her father was a gamekeeper working for the Sheridan family on the Frampton Estate and that was where they spent most of their time, so she had a difficult walk to and from Frampton School.”

Mrs True married Archibald True at Maiden Newton Church and moved to Weymouth for his job as a signalman, later having three daughters and a son.

Daphne said her mother is still active and enjoys growing her own vegetables, feeding the birds in her garden and going for scenic car rides.

Among the guests at Mrs True’s birthday celebrations were her children and two of her sisters, aged 91 and 99, and instead of presents donations were made to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

Speaking about the day, Daphne said: “The tea was such a surprise [for her] - we’d already been out for a family meal.

“She was on such a high the next day that she wanted to go to Bournemouth Airport to see her son off, as he lives in Spain.”