WHEN a government department checked Lillian James's address to send 100th birthday greetings, they assumed it was the name of a care home.

But, as her niece Gillian Cooksley pointed out, there are probably not many pensioners in less need of a care home place than her aunt.

Mrs James has spent all but a decade of her life in Yorkley and still leads an independent life and is well-known around the village.

She celebrated her 100th birthday last Thursday (July 9) and when the Review visited there were already 113 cards and there had been a constant stream of well-wishers.

She said: "I never realised it (my birthday) would be like this.

"I know a lot of people because I still go out to bingo and Happy Circleclub and I do a couple of horses on a Saturday.

"I use Dial-a-Ride who are marvellous and really do their job well in looking after people.

"I know my walking isn't very good but I got all my faculties."

Mrs James married husband Fred in 1946 – who she had known since their days at Yorkley School – after meeting him again at her sister's wedding.

Mr James was a well-known tenor horn player with Pillowell Band and Yorkley Onward Band.

The Yorkley Band was merged into the Forest of Dean Brass and some of its players turned up to bingo to play Happy Birthday for Mrs James.

Mrs James was one of nine children and left the Forest for the first time when she was billeted with a family near Southampton during the miners' strike of 1926.

She later returned to work in the area before moving to become a cook at Cheltenham Ladies' College.

Two of her sisters were also cooks in service in the town "so we must have followed Granny Kear the baker," she added.

Mr and Mrs James had one daughter, Carol, who had cerebral palsy and for eight years she collected money for the charity that supports people with the condition.

Mrs James was also well-known in Yorkley for collecting for Pearl Assurance and, for 50 years, for the NCH children's charity.

Mrs Cooksley said: "When they (the Department of Work and Pensions) rang me to confirm the address they asked if it was the name of the nursing home.

"I can't think of anybody in less need of a nursing home.

"Neighbours keep an eye on her, when she goes to bingo somebody sees her to the car and a cleaner comes in one day a week."