A GREAT-grandmother celebrated her 100th birthday at the weekend surrounded by family and friends.

Phyllis Button, who lives at the Orchid Care home in Haydon, was given a surprise birthday party to mark the occasion, which was attended by her close family.

Delighted Phyllis, who also received a card from the Queen, had a smile on her face for the whole day and didn’t let her age stop her from chatting with much-loved relatives.

Although the party was a surprise to Phyllis, the landmark birthday was something she was very keen to achieve.

“I think she was determined to see her 100th birthday,” said her only daughter Beryl. “Her eyesight is not what it was and she needs help with her mobility but her mind is all there and she will say if she doesn’t agree with something.

“Family is very important to her and she really enjoyed having so many here for her birthday.”

As well as her daughter, Phyllis has four grandchildren, Denise, Keith, Tracy and Annette, as well as eight great-grandchildren.

Phyllis was born in Devon and moved to Wiltshire with her family. Throughout her life she has worked in Chippenham and Swindon.

While in Swindon she worked at a number of locations, including the Queenstown, High Street and Plessey clubs. She also ran an off-licence in Gorse Hill.

Phyllis gave a lot of her time to volunteering at the Princess Margaret Hospital with the Royal Voluntary Service.

Her first husband died when Beryl was just 18 months old and her second husband died early in 1965.

Before she moved to Swindon, Phyllis lived in Chippenham where she worked at a GP surgery.

Among patients who remember her with fondness is Susan Horton, who attended the party with her sister Trish Colenso.

She said: “She was there for 10 years before she moved to Swindon. Phyllis would do all the housekeeping jobs such as cleaning and cooking. We called her Missy and she always had time for us. You never heard a cross word from her. She is a remarkable lady who always put other people first.”