Irene Sinclair celebrated her 111th birthday this week - and might now be one of the UK’s 10 oldest residents.
Irene, who is known as Renée, was born in Guyana on September 23 1908, and when she was 49 she moved from the south American British colony to England to be with her daughter Jean - who is now 88 herself.
She had worked as a history teacher in Guyana, and still worked with school children in London as a catering assistant cooking for 500 in Highgate Hill. When she was 96 she modelled for Dove, and her secret to a long life is to walk everywhere and to eat lots of fresh veg.
She celebrated with 30 friends and family at the the Auld Shillelagh in Stoke Newington Church Street, where she has celebrated all her birthdays since she turned 100.
Her friend Chris Lemmon told the Gazette: "It was fantastic. We had a lovely day, and she had a nice time. She had a telegram from the Queen in full focus on the table. That's her 12th one now. She's got them all pinned up on the wall in her living room. It means a lot to her."
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