CHRISTMAS Eve is extra special for Ina Ward and her family - because it is her 100th birthday.

Family and fellow residents of the Durham House care home in the centre of Chester-le-Street, County Durham, will celebrate her landmark birthday with a party.

Mrs Ward was born Alice Alexandrina – she was named after Queen Victoria who was born Alexandrina Victoria - in Hebburn, South Tyneside, on the night before the first Christmas of the First World War.

The youngest of three girls, she worked at Reyrolles, the engineering firm that was the biggest employer on Tyneside, as a tracer.

As was the custom of the time, she worked until she married. She married John, a miner, in October, 1940, and they moved to Chester-le-Street.

Her husband, who at one time worked at the Dainty Dinah toffee factory and the BOC gas depot, died in June 1993 aged 87.

Mrs Ward continued to live in her three-bedroomed semi-detached house until November, 2012 when she moved into Durham House.

She was a keen WI member for several years and enjoyed reading and knitting.

Daughters Joan Short and Brenda Cameron - who is coming up from Brighton - four grand-children and two of her four great-grandchildren will be joining in the celebrations.

Mrs Short said: “She always used to say 'why does it have to be the busiest day of the year on my birthday?' because she was always busy preparing.”