CENTENARIAN Catherine Connelly celebrated her birthday at a party with family and friends.
She was joined by her many children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and received a special visit from past Mayor and current Verwood councillor Lucy Clark.
Mrs Connelly, known as Kate, was born in a village in Fife in Scotland and has survived her 12 siblings.
From the age of 14 she was in domestic service and was called up to serve in the Army in 1939.
She served in the ATS during World War II and lost her hearing in one ear after an injury from a bomb blast in London.
She married at the end of the war when her childhood sweetheart, Matt Connelly, presumed missing in action for seven years, returned from active service.
Mrs Connelly lost her husband in 1964. She has four children, seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren. She moved to Verwood in 1987 and has spent many happy years there.
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