Great-grandma Blanche Harrison had a very happy 100th birthday at home in Dukinfield with a steady stream of visitors bearing cards and presents calling to see her.

Four generations of the family came together on the big day, including her son Mike who had travelled from his home in Spain.

Blanche said she had been looking forward to celebrating with ‘a brandy and coke, but not too much coke.’

Mike added: “It looks like that’s the way to reach 100!”

He is hopeful his mum will be one of the first to receive a telegram of congratulations from King Charles following the period of mourning for the late Queen.

Originally from Lancaster, Blanche met her husband Fred through a love of ballroom dancing.

Fred was based there with the Kings Own Regiment before being posted to Burma.

Blanche did her wartime service at a machine works which made parts for Lancaster bombers and later in Barrow as a shipyard welder.

Her father Joe Young was a top-flight footballer with Preston North End.

She also remembers pushing the then future singer and entertainer Frankie Vaughan around Lancaster in his pram.

Blanche and Fred, who had married during the war, later moved to Manchester, settling in Lees Street, Openshaw. They had two children, Mike and Lorraine, who now lives ‘down south’.

Blanche worked as a home-help and knew the Jones family who lived round the corner, including young Davy who went on to enjoy worldwide fame as a ‘60s pop star with The Monkees.

Widowed for 30 years with two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, Dukinfield has been her home for the past four decades during which she became a long-time member of Dukinfield Bowling Club.

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