FLOWER POWER:

Florence Phillips celebrated her 105th birthday with flowers and a tea party. Florence, who lives independently in Leek, enjoyed a birthday tea with her friend,

Pat Keeling, and son, Christopher, topped off by a visit from Leek’s town mayor, Lyn Swindlehurst. She is now classed as a semi super-centenarian and received her second official birthday card from the Queen.

She says the secret of her longevity is ‘hard work and poverty and plenty of Yorkshire Tea’.

Born in Springfield Road in 1917, Florence spent her working life in textiles, mainly at Mayers’ Mill in Wellington Street, where she worked as an overlocker. Florence became a member of Moorlands Home Link in 2010. Volunteer Kath Parrythomas, who has enjoyed chatting to Florence for more than a decade, said: “Florence is amazing.

I feel blessed to have such a lovely friend. We laugh, share stories and sometimes sing together. She is forever young.”