A woman from Ely celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday (June 23) amongst family and friends at the Bell Holt retirement home in the city.

Violet Butcher was born in Littleport in 1918 as the Great War was coming to an end and has worked on the Fen lands for most of her life.

Violet moved to Bell Holt with her husband Reg Butcher shortly after they retired from working on Bedfords Farm, they were married for 56 years before Reg passed away in 1993.

Mrs Butcher has lived at Bell Holt for 43 years and although she is now retired from working on the farm lands she still enjoys getting out and about with the help of family and friends.

Sheila Butcher, one of Violet’s daughters, said that her mum has “always been a Fen girl” and that “she’s worked all of her life on the land and farm” – one guest at the party was a friend from her farm working days.

Sheila said: “She loves bingo and loves going out and being with her family, she’s always been a family person.”

Violet has three daughters, seven grandchildren, four great grandchildren and one great great grandchild, their names are as followed:

Daughters: Sheila, Dorothy Brown and Daphne, grand daughters: Rachel and Suzanne, grand sons: Paul, Kevin, Michael, David and Ian, great grandchildren: Jamie, Daniel, Regan and Oliver and great great grandchild: Kaden.