A WELL-deserved card from the Queen is expected to land on Violet Richens’ doorstep today as she celebrates a special birthday.

Violet Daisy Richens, of Stratton St Margaret, who was born on February 12, 1911, turns 100 today and is set to party with her family to mark the occasion.

The great-great-grandmother is delighted to reach the milestone and said she never expected to be celebrating such an achievement.

“I didn’t think I would live to be 100. “I never thought to think about it, I wouldn’t dream of it. I have got there but don’t ask me how,” she said.

Violet, who is still walking, thinks the secret to living a long time is keeping busy.

“If you sit about it is the wrong thing to do, find something to do.

“I used to like getting out in the garden,” she said.

She doesn’t believe that the Queen will know it is her 100th birthday.

“I’ll believe that when it comes. Just think how many people have got a birthday today. The Queen will be awfully busy sending out cards. I shall be surprised if I get something from her,” she said.

Violet has lived in Swindon since she got married to Tom Richens at the registry office in 1931 and they moved to Stanton Fitzwarren.

She is the eldest of five sisters, and two of them Maggie and Peggy, are still alive.

Violet remembered that they always had to do as they were told because their grandfather was a policeman.

“We were being ruled with the law, we didn’t like it,” she said.

She and her husband Tom had four children Rex, 72, and Dallas, 67, and Michael, 63 and Dinah who has died.

Michael and his wife Janet, of Greenmeadow, often visit Violet at her home, which she has lived in for 25 years.

Janet said: “She is marvellous, she has been part of my life for 47 years and I can’t fault her. She has always been like a mum to me, I got married in 1967 and I knew her three years before that.”

She said one of Violet’s hobbies has always been her washing, which she still does by hand, and it is always snow white.

“If the thing is supposed to be white then I want it white,” said Violet.

All the generations of her family will meet today to celebrate her special achievement.