AS TENANTS celebrated 25 years of living in their care home, another reminisced about her time there.

Former care home warden Mary Robinson, 92, has lived in Weymouth's George Thorne House since it officially opened in November 1982.

She recalled her fondness for going on holidays in the seaside town and the changing faces she has seen over the years in the Park Street home.

She said: "The biggest changes have definitely been in the people, who have moved here from all over the country.

"We're all quite independent here, which is a good thing, and we have different things happening every day.

"I moved down here after I retired from working as a warden at another home in Gloucestershire.

"I used to come down here often on holiday and thought I'd like to live here, and I think it's great to be having this celebration."

Another guest of honour at the party was former George Thorne House second warden Cath McQuillen, who worked there from 1987 to 2001.

Mrs McQuillen, 66, of Sandpiper Way, Weymouth, said: "They've done the place up beautifully since I worked here - not that it was bad then.

"Things are a bit more relaxed here nowadays.

"When I worked here we weren't allowed to call people by their first names, it was Mr and Mrs, but now they've relaxed it all a bit more."

Present warden Maggie Duffy said: "We thought we'd have a little bit of a get-together for the tenants, it's been quite a low-key thing.

"It's been a really good party and I'm really happy with how it's gone." Weymouth and Portland mayor David Harris helped the tenants mark the big day with a history lesson about his office.

He said: "I'm delighted to have visited some of the tenants of George Thorne House.

"I know that the tenants are always very interested in hearing about the history of the borough and the past mayors."

George Thorne House was officially opened on November 5, 1982 by the then MP Viscount Cranborne.