Tintwistle's Irene celebrates 100th birthday

Tintwistle resident Irene Worrall recently celebrated her 100th birthday.

Born in Shireoaks, Nottinghamshire on October 16 1923, Irene spoke fondly of the memories from her youth.

"I'd say my age had the best childhood, we used to play games in the fields all day," she said.

"And I loved playing netball at school. It was a small village so I didn't really know what was going on in the outside world. I was 17 when the war broke out.

"I wanted to go in the forces but my boss sent for me and another girl when I was 20, you used to get called up you see, then he told us that we weren't to go in the forces as we were in what he called 'reserved occupations'.

"We didn't have a lot at all - it was the time of the blackouts and bombers were flying over us every night. We used coupons to buy everything."

Irene and her husband, Derek, got married in 1944 and were together for 48 years before his passing in 1992.

"Things were difficult at the time," she said.

"But our wedding was lovely - I borrowed a dress and the village all clubbed together & made me a cake."

The pair, who had met while Derek worked in the air force, first moved to Birmingham before being transferred to the North West where they enjoyed life with their three children.

Jill, Irene's youngest daughter, said: "Mum is an amazing woman. She rode a bike into her 70's and her party piece is still the splits. She always eats home cooked food, bakes and still makes a great roast dinner.

"She is very independent and puts everybody before herself. We always laughed a lot growing up and we still do, she's definitely someone to aspire to be like."

When asked what her secret to long life is, Irene insisted that she doesn't have one however she 'never did smoke or drink' and either walked or used a bike to get everywhere as she never learned to drive.

The grandmother-of-ten, and great-grandmother-of-six, shared that she enjoys being independent - with regular bus trips to Ashton, and occasionally Manchester, as well as doing all of her own housework with the help of her fortnightly cleaner - and she loves cruises.

She celebrated her centennial birthday in style with front row seats at The Full Monty performance in Buxton, even having a photo with cast member Jake Quickenden (pictured below) at the stage door, who she had previously met on a cruise.