A GREAT-GREAT grandmother who feigned illness to avoid school so often that she was allowed to leave at 14 has celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by her family.

The family of Margaret Shutt paid tribute to her as a woman whose entire life revolved around her love of children, first as a nanny before becoming a mother of three, grandmother of eight, great-grandmother of 14 and, more recently, a great-great grandmother of two.

Mrs Shutt reached her 100th birthday on Thursday, but marked the milestone with a party on Saturday attended by many of her extended family, some of whom travelled from London.

Born in 1915 Mrs Shutt has lived in Darlington for her entire life, the youngest child of three born to William and Henrietta Siddle.

Tragedy hit the family at a young age when her father was killed in the First World War, just one day before he was due to return home.

Yvonne Shutt, Mrs Shutt's daughter-in-law, said although she excelled at school, Mrs Shutt hated it and often feigned illness to avoid having to go, pouring potions given to her by the doctor to build her strength down the drain, instead living mainly on biscuits and sweets.

Although her headmistress wanted her to study to become a teacher, it was decided instead that Mrs Shutt should leave school and start work as a nanny, taking up a position with a family on Coniscliffe Road.

Yvonne Shutt said: "The doctor was a family friend and he suggested that she should not do anything too taxing - he thought that being a nanny would be good for her because she could stay in bed all morning and go to work on an afternoon."

Following her marriage to husband Ronnie, in 1937, Mrs Shutt became a housewife and brought up three children, Alan, Diana and Stuart, as well as always being on hand to help with her growing brood of grandchildren.

Yvonne said: "She just lived for babies and looking after children. She has been devoted to her family and has helped every one of us with childcare, which she loved to do all of her life.

"She liked nothing better than to knit for all of her grandchildren, everything from bootees to coats to christening shawls."

Mrs Shutt lived independently for many years in Hanover Close but two years ago, with her sight failing, she moved into the Gardens Nursing Home, off Salutation Road, in Darlington.

The family have thanked staff at the home for arranging the 100th birthday party for Mrs Shutt.