A DIET supplemented by pints of Guinness and tots of sherry have helped Audrey Rapson reach her 100th birthday.

Mrs Rapson was joined by relatives and friends as she celebrated her milestone at the Evergreens rest home in Bournemouth.

She was born in Aldershot but moved to Bournemouth in 1939.

Her husband Lt Col Leslie Rapson was stationed abroad for long periods of time but she stayed in the town to ensure her five children had a stable and happy upbringing.

She has three surviving children, eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Her husband passed away in 2003 when the pair had been married 67 years.

Daughter Caroline Evans said: “He would be away for a year at a time.

“She was a really fantastic mother and her children came first. She wanted us to have our schooling and it worked very well.

“She’s been a great mum and a fantastic grandmother. The grandchildren have had a lovely time with her, she has a great sense of humour and used to play lots of practical jokes.

“She loves her alcohol and when she was younger she used to make her own beer. Her favourite tipple is sherry in later years but it used to be Guinness.”