A FORMER Weymouth Pavilion wardrobe mistress celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends.

Anne Norbury of Lodmoor, Weymouth worked with many celebrities including Bruce Forsyth, Dusty Springfield and Mike and Bernie Winters.

Her daughter, Christine Worsley, said Mrs Norbury fell into the key backstage role while working as a dinner lady at St John's School.

She said: "A friend asked her to do it and at first she thought she couldn't possibly but then she just got on and did it.

"That's the sort of person mum is, anything that she's faced with she just takes in her stride.

"She worked there for some 10 years, altering costumes and doing different things.

"She also did some work at the Alexandra Gardens theatre."

Mrs Norbury attended St John's School, where she later worked.

After leaving school at 14, she looked after her mother and worked as a nanny before marrying Chris Norbury in 1931 when she was 24.

Mrs Norbury had two daughters, Diane and Christine, and now has four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, who all celebrated her birthday with her at the Rembrandt Hotel.

Christine said: "More than anything family has really been the most important thing all the way through mum's life.

"Her mother and family have been the centre of her life, she's always looked after her brothers and extended family of aunties - anybody she could help, she helped.

"A bonus for mum is seeing her grandchildren.

"She didn't have me until she was 37 and didn't think she would see me grow up."