Irene Brown was visited by relatives from as far afield as Portugal and Washington DC for a huge family celebration, right, as she reached 100.

Mrs Brown, who lives at Winterbrook Nursing Home in Wallingford, has four children, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, and moved to Wallingford to be near her daughter Hillary Harrison, after spending most of her life in Wiltshire.

As a girl, she worked in her father’s garage in Trowbridge, which was the first filling station in the market town.

After her husband Jeffrey’s death from Multiple Sclerosis 46 years ago, she lived on her own until she was 94.

Great-grandson Harley Harrison, 13, who goes to Wallingford School, said: “It is nice to meet family we have never met before.”

Missing from her birthday party was her youngest great-grandson Elia, who was born in Milan on May 6.