THREE days before the giant war guns explosively rang out the beginning of the Battle of Paschendale, a girl was born in Gloucestershire.

Surrounded by family and friends, that girl - Adelaide Church - yesterday celebrated her 100th birthday.

Born in small north Gloucestershire village Twyning in 1917, Adelaide spent time as a maid in London before getting married at the opening of World War One and moving to Burford in the Cotswolds.

The mother-of-two moved to Swindon in 1955, working as a case maker in Spackman’s on Shrivenham Road and G&P Cases in Wootton Bassett.

“She absolutely loved it,” said daughter Shirley Turner, 69. “She worked hard all her life.”

It is a feeling echoed by Adelaide herself.

Surrounded by dozens of cards - including birthday wishes from Queen Elizabeth herself - she said that the secret to a long life was hard work.

“I used to be a carpenter. I didn’t want to go into shops. That was why I went to Spankman’s.

“I used to love it - hammering in nails and screwing things. I was doing that all day and every day. I enjoyed myself.”

Three generations of the family came to celebrate Adelaide’s birthday at the Ashbury Lodge care home on Marlborough Road on Friday.

Great-grandson Tom Williams, 12, smiled: “She’s exciting and fun - she chat’s a lot.”

Daughter Shirley thanked care home staff for donations towards a bracelet.