'Whisky in tea' - woman's secret to reaching 106

A woman who survived bombings during World War Two to live to 106 years old says a little whisky in her first cup of tea of the day is her secret to a long life.

Hazel Whittaker is celebrating her landmark birthday on Saturday and had a party in her honour at Cheslyn Hay Village Hall, in Staffordshire near Walsall, on Friday.

"I can remember the bombs dropping over Cheslyn Hay, the whistling bombs," she said.

She was one of six, born in 1920 and worked at English Electric in Stafford during the war, when the county town was a major industrial hub.

Whittaker went on to have a son and daughter but has outlived her children. She has two grandchildren and two great-grandsons.

At the party, there was cake, a ukulele band and card from King Charles III and Queen Camilla

They said: "It gives us great pleasure to send you our sincere congratulations and special wishes".

When asked her advice to others, the 106-year-old kept it simple by adding: "Lead a good life, keep off the drugs and cigarettes."

Her granddaughter, Shelley Wardle, joined her at the party and will take her out for a meal on her birthday.

"She is great, she is still really independent, she still does baking when she feels like it, she goes to the pub every Tuesday for lunch - if she had her way, she would go out every day," Wardle said.

"She loves quizzes, bingo, singalongs, going out for meals, she is really positive."

Whittaker lives in Pinfold House and "sangria is one of the top drinks she likes to drink with her friends".

Stephen Hollis, chairman of Cheslyn Hay Parish Council, helped with the party.

"She is bubbly, and the life and soul of the party, she is really good," he said.

"A lot of the people in Pinfold speak very highly of her, they all wanted to come and make sure she had a good time."

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