Wakefield woman celebrates 100th birthday with one of the first cards from King Charles III

Born, October 22 1922, Mrs Brooke celebrated her landmark birthday with a party at her care home, West Ridings Residential and Nursing Home in Lofthouse, surrounded by her friends and family.

The eldest of six children, she lived on Dewsbury Road in Lupset with her mum and dad and five younger siblings.

When the second world war began Mrs Brooke was supposed to enter the Women's Auxiliary Air Force but failed her medical. Instead, she went to work in a factory in Birmingham making wings for aeroplanes.

“I enjoyed it very much but I didn’t like leaving home,” she said. “I was 18 and I remember crying my eyes out. I had a friend from Sandal who came with me.

"We had no choice but to go. We lived with a Russian woman who married a man from China who lived in Birmingham. They were very nice, we were very lucky.”

Whilst working in the factory, Mrs Brooke met celebrated singer Vera Lynn, who she described as being “very nice”. She also got to meet comedian Bob Hope around this time.

Mrs Brook married her husband Frank – who worked at home during the war – in 1943 and the couple had a belated honeymoon in Scarborough.

She was allowed to move home from Birmingham and worked on the railways for some time.

The couple set up their home in Flanshaw and soon welcomed their two sons, Malcom and David, into the world.

The family had a happy home life, where Mrs Brooke spent a lot of her time washing her son’s football kits and taking them to watch cricket, a sport which the whole family enjoyed.

Mrs Brooke was known for helping her extended family and doing lots of charity work. She would help take the elderly on day trips with the Age Welfare Club along the Yorkshire Coast.

She was also a keen baker often making sweet treats for charity. Her favourite things to make were sponge cakes and jam and cream scones.

“My husband was the youngest out of a family of 13 and I was the eldest out of my siblings. I was always there to help out with my family, sister-in-laws and lots of nieces,” she said.

“With the Welfare Club, we would take people on holiday and day trips along the coast to places like Scarborough and Bridlington all for free.

"We used to run 13 buses just from Lupset but we had to pack it in because everything changed when people got cars.”

Mr and Mrs Brooke enjoyed travelling the world, spending months with her sister in Perth, Western Australia, hopping around European countries and even spending a New Year’s Eve in Singapore.

Her favourites place to holiday were in Italy and Croatia.

When asked about what her secret to living a long and healthy life, Mrs Brooke said: “I don’t have one! I don’t like keeping secrets. A good soap and water helps.”

The centenarian said she was happy to receive her milestone birthday card from King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla in the post.

She has a step-grandson and lots of nieces who visit her often.