AN ENERGETIC Tintern resident celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by more than 70 friends and family last week.

Hilda Austin, of Pontyfelin, Tintern, was born on April 19 1914 in Wolverhampton and attended Wolverhampton art college on a scholarship after leaving school aged 14.

But Mrs Austin had to drop out in 1934 when her mother became ill and while caring for her she was inspired to start a career in nursing.

Her daughter Margaret Davis, said: “We held her party at the Tintern Village Hall on Friday and originally just invited the people that she kept in touch with but she is such a well known lady 70 people attended!

“She is totally fit and she has always been active.

“She has always been one to help people and was never one just to sit down.”

Becoming a qualified nurse in 1935, working at Wolverhampton hospital, Mrs Austin went on to marry Arthur Tandy on August 14 1939, who tragically died when he drowned on holiday in Wales in 1956.

She then met her second husband Rev. Raymond Charles Austin when he visited the hospital where she worked in Wolverhampton, and later married him, moving to Monmouthshire in the 1960’s as a vicars wife.

Mrs Austin, who currently lives at Penpergwm Residential Home near Abergavenny, had two daughters Ms Davis and Mary Attewell, has ten great grandchildren, and six grandchildren.

“She is really sociable, well travelled and loves driving,” her daughter added.

“She has lived every minute and always thinks of other people.”