JANE Roberts from Altarnun celebrated her 50th birthday by throwing a Great British tea party on National Cream Tea Day.

Jane, whose birthday was on Monday, July 1, wanted to have a week of doing her favourite things. With jumping off the zipwire at Adrenalin Quarry being one of the more adventurous activities of her birthday week, Jane also held a charity event dedicated to her favourite food — the Cornish cream tea.

So on Friday, June 28, Jane opened up her garden and home to friends, family and fans of the Cornish cream tea, and created a beautiful setting for a Great British tea party — with Emma Bridgewater crockery, floral and Great British flag-patterned napkins, mountains of scones, huge dollops of jam and a great big tray full of Rodda’s clotted cream.

While people tucked into their cream teas, their minds could rest easy knowing they would be helping an important cause — Jane’s chosen charity to support through the event, Penhaligon’s Friends.

Jane said: “I love my garden and my favourite food is a cream tea, so I thought I’d open my garden to family and friends and friends of friends.

“Rodda’s said they would donate the cream and jam if I chose a charity. I wanted to choose a Cornish charity and one related to children. We need to raise the profile of Penhaligon’s Friends — they support bereaved children in Cornwall. I think we’ve raised just over £200 but the donations are still coming in and some people have donated directly to the website.

“I’m already being asked to make it an annual event! My birthday falls at such an iconic British time of year — Glastonbury and Wimbledon. Virginia Wade won on my birthday in 1977 when I was eight!”