SHE may be 100 but a North Yorkshire centenarian isn't ready to give up on her latest hobby.

Nellie Alderson, who lives at the Nightingale Hall residential home, in Richmond, was celebrating with family yesterday.

But, once all the fuss is over, she will be going back to the town's baths and resuming the swimming lessons she started earlier this year.

"She's not really strong enough to swim a length or anything like that, but she loves the water and will be keeping up with her lessons," said a spokeswoman at the home yesterday.

Mrs Alderson never learnt to swim when she was younger, as she was too busy bringing up four children on a hillside farm above Low Row, Swaledale.

However, with a little more time to herself these days, she thought she would put that right.

"Water has always fascinated me and I always enjoyed a paddle at the seaside," she told The Northern Echo in May.

Mrs Alderson was surrounded by flowers and cards, as well as her family, who planned a party for her at Nightingale Hall yesterday.

Also among the well-wishers were chairman of Richmondshire District Council James Kendall - who visited in person to present a bouquet - and the Queen, who sent the traditional congratulatory message.