Lily's 100th birthday joy at family party

Four generations gathered at the Highwayman pub in Lincoln Road on Wednesday to congratulate Lily Naylor, who moved to Skegness from Sheffield to be near her daughter, Sue Picken, when she retired just over 30 years ago.

Lily is the youngest of 10 children and had a twin sister, Rose, who sadly died in her seventies.

“When I was born the midwife told my dad there was another coming and he said the more the merrier,” she said.

After marrying Douglas, a petty officer in the Royal Navy, they had four children - Sue who lives in a bungalow just 33 steps away from her own, David who lives in Devon, John from Louth and Doug who lives in Spain.

There are now grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Proudly displaying her birthday card from the Queen, she said: “It was lovely to have everyone together for my birthday. I have such a lovely family - that’s what keeps me going.”

An auxiliary nurse in a children’s ward before she retired, she has kept busy since on family holidays and by keeping fit and active. “I learned to swim when I was in my mid-60s and go for a stroll every day with my daughter, Sue,” she said, adding that she had a pacemaker fitted at 98.

“But I also like to do word searches - I like to keep busy.”

Her son, David said: “I can remember when mum was in her 80s talking about helping the old people around here. She has worked hard all her life for us. We used to call her Turbo Lily.”

Sue added: “I can’t put it into words - she is just a remarkable lady.”