A CENTENARIAN from Kempsey celebrated her birthday with a wonderful show of support from the community.

Ruth Thomas, celebrated her 106th birthday on February 17 and had asked the public for cards to help her celebrate the big day.

Since then, Mrs Thomas, who lives at The Lawns Nursing Home in Kempsey, received more than 100 cards and nice messages from people around the county.

A spokesman from The Lawns said: “Ruth received an amazing 169 cards and so many presents, she had videos sent to her from all over England in response to our request to make this 106th Birthday as amazing as she is.”

The Tesco store at St Peters sent Ruth a bouquet and a chocolate cake.

Her card from The Queen arrived by courier at 2pm and staff toasted her Happy Birthday with her favourite tipple: Baileys.

The spokesman added: “Ruth has asked that we specifically thank all of the kind people who sent cards to wish her a happy birthday and her family for their continued love and support, especially Lyn and Trevor.”

Mrs Thomas was born in Hereford but moved to Kempsey when she was 20 to work as a parlour maid at the Elizabethan manor, Nash house, until she met her husband.

The pair took over the Queen’s Head pub in the village for three years until Ruth started running the local swimming pool in 1954, staying on for 27 years with her husband.

In 2019, we reported on her 104th birthday, where she shared her secret to a long life, saying: “A little bit of what you fancy does you good, drink lots of tea and don’t forget to laugh as much as possible.

“You never know where you will be the next day, so enjoy yourself.”

Mrs Thomas spends her days reading and talking to anyone who comes in, when it comes to books she “enjoys a good murder or a nice romance” and was full of praise for the staff at The Lawns, saying: “They take wonderful care of me here.

“I have someone who comes in and does my hair and nails and they are wonderful people to have looking after me.”