A WOMAN in Penarth celebrated her 100th birthday on Thursday.

Marion Atkins has lived all her life in Penarth, in just three streets by the town centre.

Last week she celebrated 100 years in the town, visited by friends and family from as far as Canada.

Ms Atkins worked in Penarth as a tailoress, and ran the butcher’s shop ‘Alfreds’ in Glebe Street in the 50s with her late husband, Alfred. She has one surviving daughter, Joyce.

”My granddaughter is coming over from Canada for a fortnight. I’ve only met her once before. I can’t wait.

“Everything has changed over the years – even my own house has changed so much,” she said.

“When we came here there were just two rooms.

“We’ve added lots of bits and pieces, a whole annex.

“The same has happened to Penarth.

“I’ve seen the docks gone. I’ve seen flats built, then demolished again – like the Billybanks.

“I used to run across the fields that were there to get to the boats. I always used to try and run back over as fast as I could to get back for tea.”

Ms Atkins’ family moved to Plassey Square in the Second World War.

“We used to run to the front windows for a better view to see the incendiary bombs fall when Cardiff was being bombed. It didn’t scare me – I just thought ‘well, we’re inside the house, it’ll be fine!’ My father used to hide under the mattress in the pantry, though. He wasn’t having any of it.

“The bombs didn’t do much damage to us. The food shortages were much worse.”

Ms Atkins is part of the Live at Home scheme, that encourages elderly people to live in their homes for as long as possible.

“I’ll go to the lunch club once a week at least. The scheme gets me out. I used to moan to my daughter about not doing anything and she made me join something – I’m so pleased I did.

“They decorated the room for my birthday with lots of balloons, cards and flowers. I’ve had a lovely time.”

Find out more about the Live at Home scheme at: https://www.mha.org.uk/live-home/