A High Wycombe care home resident celebrated her 103rd birthday with glasses of bubbly and Skype calls with her large family.

Born in Wolverhampton in 1918, Edith Smith worked at an optician until the arrival of her daughters, and moved to High Wycombe aged 84 from the island of Sark where she had run a B&B for many years.

The tiny island of Sark is one of the few places in the world where cars are banned from the roads and only tractors and horse-drawn vehicles are allowed, with one of Mrs Smith’s daughters saying this could be the reason for her “good lungs”.

Mrs Smith, who now lives at Shelburne Lodge Care Home, in Rutland Street, celebrated her milestone birthday on Sunday (January 10) with staff and residents who raised glasses of bubbly and enjoyed a special birthday cake made for the occasion.

She also received numerous cards from her family, which includes eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, and spoke to them on Skype after Covid-19 and lockdown restrictions made it impossible for the care home to invite them all to a party in Mrs Smith’s honour.

Reading all the cards herself, Mrs Smith said, “I don’t believe I’m 103,” and, when asked for her secret to a long life, she replied: “Yoghurt and fresh fruit.”

Sharon Pither, general manager at Shelburne Lodge, said: “We’re delighted to be celebrating a truly remarkable woman as she celebrates this special birthday.

“Edith is a new resident to the home who we have all enjoyed getting to know, she loves quizzes and mastermind is a particular favourite.”