A FORMER secretary celebrated her 102nd birthday last Saturday.

Dorothy Armour spent the day having lunch with her family and friends who live in Dovercourt before returning to Lime Court where she lives for a special tea.

Mrs Amour who moved to the area from London in 1972 was evacuated to Canvey Island during the First World War and worked as a County medical officer in Chelmsford during the Second World War.

She has also worked at a shoe company, as a secretary to a bank manager and could write shorthand at the lightning speed of 120 words per minute.

Cycling has been a big part of Mrs Armour’s life and believes that is part of the reason she has lived such a long life.

“I like to keep active and used to cycle everywhere,” she said.