AT the age of 92, great grandmother Gertrude Gee would like nothing more after a spot of lunch than to go to the beach for a spot of surfing.

She had enjoyed abseiling well into her late 80s and joining undergraduates to study volcanoes in Tenerife.

Now charming Gertrude, who is known as Mary, is taking life a little more sedately as she reached her 100th birthday.

Her daughter, Mary, flew from her home in Australia to be at the party at Alexandra House, in Dovercourt.

She said: “She used to come and stay with me for three to six months a year until until she was 92.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: 100th birthday of Mary Gee at Alexander House, Dovercourt..Pictured with daughter, also Mary Gee who flew in from Australia and sons Robert and Richard Gee.

“I have a pool and she would swim before breakfast and at lunch, then go down to the beach for surfing.

“I’m a geologist and I work in volcanoes.

“Up until her late 80s she would come with me and the undergraduates to the volcano in Tenerife.

“She abseiled for charity in her late 80s too.

“If you asked her what the key to long-life is, she would say eat well and go outside and get as much exercise as you can.”

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: Mary Gee going for a body surf aged 91

Mary, who moved to the Dovercourt care home in 2012, has a passion for gardening and did yoga three times a week for 40 years.

Her daughter added: “She used to be frightened of too much water in the bath as her legs would float and then in her 60s she learnt to swim.

“That’s what she is like, she has always had a go at things.

“She is very charming too.”

Mary was born in Yorkshire before moving to Scarborough where she worked as a self-employed hairdresser before marrying and having her three children Richard, Robert and Mary.

She is not as able as she was having suffered a series of mini- strokes as a result of Type 2 diabetes.

But Mary still enjoys chair exercises and music.

Clare Leach, from Harwich Sing visited the home for the birthday party celebrations and sung Mary’s favourite tunes.

She recently had a visit from her great grandchildren and a trip to her favourite Beth Chatto gardens to celebrate her birthday.