Dorothy Spooner, who lives in Holmer Green, turned 90 on January 20, celebrating her birthday in lockdown with a “huge array” of flowers, cards and presents that she received.

Fondly known as Dot, she was born Dorothy Smith in London in 1931, with her family home in Tooting.

Pictured: Dot on her birthday

She was eight-years-old when the Second World War started, saying she remembers wearing a gas mask in the school playground.

She recalled being loaded onto a coach to be evacuated to foster parents, who would select which children they wanted in the local hall, adding these were “not pleasant times”.

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There were five children in a bed at one of her houses and she was called a “filthy London kid”.

Dot had three brothers and a younger sister, as well as a step-brother and sister, and she said he “hated” being separated from her siblings, particularly her sister.

She returned to Tooting just as the doodlebugs arrived, adding the V2s were “even worse – truly silent but deadly” – which meant she had to be evacuated again, this time to a farm in Leicestershire.

Dot’s life has been marred by tragedy, having lost two husbands to cancer and also two of her children.

She moved to Holmer Green with her husband Ray, who was a railway engineer, and has lived in the same house for more than 30 years, adding she still counts people who have lived in the village for 20 years or less as “newbies”.

Despite having gone through such a difficult time in life, Dot’s friends say she “always seems to be jolly and enthusiastic”, and she still sees herself as “permanently 16-years-old”, adding that they see her as “uplifting and inspiring”.

They said her faith and the local church have “been a great comfort to her” and her family, which includes grandchildren and great-grandchildren, are important to her.

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Dot is also a keen gardener and has won a number of awards at the Holmer Green Gardening Association Shows for her roses and dahlias, as well as being a keen knitter.

Speaking about her birthday, Michael King, who knows Dot through the gardening club, said: “Dot has always been an enthusiastic celebrator of birthdays, so she was disappointed to be forced to celebrate her 90th birthday so quietly this year.

“But she was flattered that so many friends and family sent her beautiful flowers and cards.”

Dot was also delighted to have her Covid vaccination last week, saying was keen to tell everybody how easy and painless the process was.

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