A PENARTH woman that began work at the age of 14 celebrated her 106th birthday earlier today.

She was congratulated on reaching the milestone when Penarth Town Mayor Cllr Neil Thomas made a special visit to see her at Ty Dewi Sant residential care home.

Alice Hopkins, who was106-years-old on Thursday, April 10, was born in Salop Place.

One of four boys and four girls she went on to leave home at 14 years of age to work in service in London.

She went on to become a cook in a big house in Harrow-on-the Hill, before coming back home to Penarth in the back of a furniture van during the war.

She married a local boy at 23-years-old and had two sons.

Her parents had a stall on Penarth beach selling Welsh cakes and cups of tea for 6d, while her father also used to fish for sprats and sell them around Penarth.