A NEWPORT resident celebrated a milestone birthday yesterday .

Constance Wilbud, known as Connie, celebrated her 100th birthday with family in the Coldra Court Hotel in Newport. This included her sister, her three children, five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, the youngest of whom is 15 months.

The deputy mayor of Newport David Fouweather was also in attendance at the event.

Mrs Wilbud moved to Newport from London in 1947 after her husband Charles’ job at Standard Telephones was transferred to the city. The couple were married 73 years when Mr Wilbud died in 2011 at the age of 93.

Mrs Wilbud was ill as a child and doctors predicted that she would never make it to old age. When asked about the secret to reaching the age of 100 she said: “I think it’s love and being content. Charles and I never wanted the moon and we were happy with what we had. I’ve been blessed and had a happy life.

“I’ve never overindulged in anything and never drank a lot. We also spent a lot of our time with the scouts and used to go camping. We did everything together.”

This is the first of Mrs Wilbud’s parties as she will also be celebrating her birthday with friends, some of whom she has known since she first moved to Newport.

“I didn’t know it was going to be such a party until I came.

“It’s wonderful and I didn’t expect to have all the family come such distances. I have had a very, very happy day.