A SURPRISE party brought delight to Violet Scutt who celebrated her 100th birthday with her family around her.

The former seamstress, who now lives at Chalgrove Care Home at Branksome, Poole, also enjoyed a visit from the town’s new mayor, Cllr Phil Eades who helped her celebrate and brought congratulations from the town.

Great nephew Alan Cook, a gardener at Upton House, Poole and his wife Chris, and her nephew Peter Sales and wife Patricia from Crowborough, Sussex were among those wishing her a happy birthday.

Her youngest relatives from her husband’s side of the family, one-year-old twins Maximus and Evangeline Baxter-Fax were also among those enjoying the party.

Born Violet Mary Southan at Catford, London, the centenarian has four brothers and a sister. She worked as a seamstress in London at the Regent Palace Hotel near Piccadilly Circus for 25-years and married George Scutt on December 29 1940.

They lived at Tooting, South London, before later moving to Bideford, Devon and then on to Poole in the early 1980s where they eventually settled.

The couple had no children and she was widowed in 1988.

Staff rallied round to give her a birthday tea and she was delighted to find her family including nephew, great-nephew and a godchild arriving to help her celebrate.

“She thoroughly enjoyed it,” said Peter.

“She was totally overwhelmed by it all, with the mayor and people she hadn’t seen for a long time.”

Her party included an entertainer, Bucks Fizz to toast her with and birthday cake, as well as a card from Work and Pensions Secretary, Ian Duncan-Smith.