Celebrations as Wigan centenarian marks her 104th birthday

Vera Yates was born during the First World War and is now one of the oldest people in Wigan borough.

There were cards, balloons and gifts as she celebrated the milestone at Ash Tree House care home in Hindley, where she now lives.

Among the visitors joining Mrs Yates for the special occasion was Coun Chris Ready.

He said: “A remarkable lady with a cheeky sense of humour, it's a real pleasure to visit people like Vera as part of my cabinet portfolio.”

Mrs Yates was born on Market Street in Atherton in 1918 to Ernest Brown, a shoe repairer, and his wife Margaret.

She was the middle of three sisters and attended Leigh St Baptist School in Atherton, where she had a friend called Margaret Latham and remembers playing with a skipping rope in the streets of Atherton.

Mrs Yates did a three-year apprenticeship in confectionary after leaving school and went on to open her own shop, which she ran for her whole working life.

She was just 17 when she met her husband – also named Ernest – at a New Year’s Eve party at the school they both attended.

The couple went on to have four children – Ernest Junior, David and Julie, and a twin who sadly only lived for a few days. There are now several grandchildren and great-grandchildren too.

Mrs Yates used to love knitting and while she can no longer do that, she does still enjoy socialising, the odd glass of wine or whiskey, and listening to music.