WINS at the bingo and cheering on her favourite football team go a long way to keeping town resident Iva Evans on the go – as she celebrated reaching her 104th birthday yesterday.

The mother-of-two – who is thought to be the oldest resident in sheltered accommodation in Swindon – spent her special day surrounded by friends and family at Peter Furkins Court, where she lives, before enjoying a game of bingo in the evening.

As well as numerous cards and congratulations from her neighbours, Iva also received a large bunch of flowers from Swindon Council’s sheltered housing team.

“I think it must be a good age to get to if all these people coming in to see me is anything to go by,” said Iva, who grew up in Shropshire.

“You’d better ask me next year when I’m 105 what it’s like.”

Iva moved to Swindon when her son, Raymond, who also lives in Peter Furkins Court, moved to the town.

She lived in Arthur Bennett Court for some years before moving into Peter Furkins Court around 14 years ago.

A keen gardener, gran and great gran Iva is also a bingo wiz and loves watching the football on telly.

“When I win at the bingo, I win three times over,” she said.

“Last time I won, I won five times in one night and it was £9 a house.

“People were saying ‘throw her out’ and ‘switch it off’. They wanted my chair because they thought I had a lucky chair.”

Iva’s a keen supporter of a legendary team who play in red and white – but unfortunately it’s a team other than Swindon Town.

“I love football and I’m an Arsenal supporter, that’s my team,” said Iva. “We’re doing quite well at the moment I think.

“I used to watch it with the window open but I’m not allowed to any more because I make too much noise. I shout at the television and cheer when they score a goal.

“I also grow flowers and I’ve always loved growing things.”

Iva has lived through two world wars, but being a country girl she was safe from the bombing of the blitz.

She said: “I lived in the country during the wars. We grew our own food and we got milk and eggs from the farmer.

“We had to have blackout blinds on the windows to shut out all the lights and if we didn’t turn them all off then you were fined by the council.”

But bingo winner Iva said the biggest change over the years has been the economy.

“We used to be a rich country, that’s the biggest one. Now we’re a poor country.

“They just spent all the money and now it’s all gone and there is no more for anyone,” she added.