A GREAT-GRANDMOTHER has celebrated her 100th birthday with a tea for friends and family at a Southend nursing home.

Lily Klinger also played host to Southend mayor Gwen Horrigan who dropped in to Raymond House, Clifton Terrace, to join the party on Monday afternoon.

Mrs Klinger, who was born in Ireland and grew up in Liverpool, has lived at Raymond House for five years. She has lived in Westcliff since 1963.

She spent her birthday in London, celebrating the milestone with a party attended by more than 40 relatives and friends before enjoying an online video link-up with her brother Gerry, 81, who lives in Australia.

Her son Adrian, who hosted Sunday’s festivities and also travelled to Southend for the Raymond House party, said: “We had two fantastic celebrations. Everyone had a wonderful time and it was lovely to meet the mayor. My mother enjoyed herself tremendously.”