A WOMAN from Blaenavon celebrated her 102nd birthday last week at the Arthur Jenkins Care Home.

Sylvia Howells marked her birthday with a party at the Care Home, attended by her daughter Veronica and her husband Alan, and Cllr Gareth Davies, mayor of Blaenavon.

Mrs Howells said: “I never thought I would get to this age.

“I’m starting to feel it. It’s catching up with me.

“I know Blaenavon from left to right. I remember the ironworks opening. My brother and my father worked at Big Pit before it closed.”

Mrs Howells was born in Blaenavon, and grew up in the area until she left for London aged 16, where she worked as a housekeeper.

She returned home when the war broke out,holding jobs in North Wales, Bristol and Weston Super Mare.

She met her husband Glyn through a mutual friend at her church in Blaenavon, who she married at 26, and the couple were married for 60 years prior to Mr Howells death 15 years ago.

The couple had one daughter, one granddaughter and two great-granddaughters.

Now, Mrs Howells spends a lot of her time in her room chatting with the staff at Arthur Jenkins Care Home, but she reminisced about some of her favourite things to do when she was younger.

“I used to love knitting,” she said. “I didn’t really like to go dancing, as I wasn’t much of a dancer. I didn’t have the legs for it.

“I love chatting to the staff here. I also love it when they bring in their babies, I love babies.”

Alongside Mrs Howells’ family, Cllr Gareth Davies joined the celebrations at the Arthur Jenkins Care Home.

Cllr Davies said: “Mrs Howells is an amazing lady. Up until she broke her femur and being registered blind she was still very independent and only recently needed assistance of care staff to assist with her needs.”

Mrs Howells has been a resident at the care home for nine and a half years.

Care home manager Jane Saunders said: “It was lovely. The mayor of Blaenavon Gareth Davies presented her with some flowers. She really enjoyed it.

“Sylvia’s daughter Victoria and her son-in-law were there, and so was her niece and nephew.”