SALE resident Ida Holland celebrated her 100th birthday on Thursday looking beautiful - despite having two false shoulder blades, three hip replacements and two knee replacements!

Despite this, she greeted the Mayor, Councillor Jonathan Coupe, on enthusiastically showing him her card from the Queen.

Ida was brought up in Hyde with her two younger sisters, Jessie and Jean.

She said: “My parents were very good and did all they could for us. We always looked smart.”

Until leaving school at 14, she attended St George’s School in Hyde. She said: “There was one horrid teacher who we nicknamed Mrs Buzzer. My teacher, Miss Nuttall was very nice.”

While at school, she helped in her father’s greengrocer’s shop which enabled her to get a job in a fruit and flower shop in Duckinfield after she left school.

“I was happy there,” she said. “I eventually became manageress.”

In 1941, she married her first husband, Philip at Holy Trinty Church, Hyde. After the war they moved to Cambridge for a short time before returning to Hyde and setting up a florist shop.

Sadly, after 20 years, they split up.

In the 1960s she got a job at Boots in Stockport before transferring to Altrincham.

She met love of her life, Ernie, at a Boots Christmas Party although he didn’t work there.

They married in 1973 and moved to Sale.

Ida’s carer, Jackie Smith , has been her friend for 40 years. Since Ernie died in 1974 their friendship has grown.

Ida attributes her long life to her love of gardening - her grandfather was head gardener at Chatsworth House - and working hard.

She said. “I like a tipple of wine, “