A great-grandmother has celebrated her 100th birthday with friends and family.

Olive Radford marked the milestone on the Lion Farm estate, Oldbury, where she has lived for the past 36 years.

Mrs Radford, who is described by family members as “very independent”, was born Olive Carpenter and raised in the Tat Bank area of the town. She grew up with six brothers and sisters and went on to work at Langley Forge first as a cleaner and then in the canteen, feeding hundreds of hungry workers until she retired at the age of 60.

She had two children of her own, Beryl Wedgbury, now 76, and Ray who died at the age of 37.

She is now a grandmother to three and great-grandmother to four. Her husband Alec died in 1956. Daughter Beryl said: “She doesn’t know what all the fuss is about and keeps saying ‘it’s just a birthday’.

“She is very independent. She is wonderful really and still has all her faculties and a marvellous memory, although she doesn’t get out as much as she used to.”

All her neighbours, family and friends joined in Olive’s birthday celebrations, and she received her telegram from the Queen for reaching the milestone birthday.

Beryl said: “We also went out for a family meal to The Village in Dudley on Sunday which she really enjoyed. She had a wonderful birthday.”

Beryl added added that her mother had received dozens of cars and bunches of flowers from well-wishers, but pride of place amongst them all was given to the royal telegram.