A WELL known dales woman has celebrated a landmark birthday.

Greta Townson, who lives at the Charles Dickens Lodge, in Barnard Castle, has celebrated her 100th birthday.

She served as a councillor for more than 25 years on the former Teesdale District Council, became the first woman Alderman in the area and twice met the Queen at Buckingham Palace garden parties.

Mrs Townson was also a member and twice president of Bishop Auckland Branch Inner Wheel and was the International Chairman of Inner Wheel while she ran Bishop Auckland and District, Save the Children Fund.

She said: “I’ve always been in public life. This is something my father brought us up to respect and take part in.”

Mrs Townson has a daughter, Anne Massey, and two grandchildren Ben and Greg along with great grandchildren Sonny and Kit.

Reflecting on becoming a centenarian, having been born in Shildon in 1916, she added: “It’s the luck of the draw and must be in the genes as my great grand parents lived well into their 90s."

Mrs Townson received a telegram from the Queen to mark the occasion and was surprised with a visit from the Chairman of Durham County Council, Jan Blakey, who said: “What a lovely lady. Greta’s had a wonderful life and regaled us with some wonderful tales.”

In her working life, she was a buyer for Doggart’s in Bishop Auckland and later at Bishop Auckland Post Office.

Her first husband was former Squadron Leader Harry Brunskill, who was awarded the DFC for flying Wellington and Lancaster bombers, who also owned the Favourite Direct and TMS Bus company along with Brunskill Haulage Contractors.

Her second husband Joseph Townson was a farmer at Emmerson House Farm at Hilton, near Gainford.

After moving elsewhere in Gainford, Mrs Townson moved to the home seven years ago.