A WOMAN who always looks on the bright side of life has celebrated her 106th birthday.

Florence Hudspeth was born Florence Stoker in Wheatley Hill on December 29, 1912.

She was the eldest of four brothers and one sister.

The family moved to Bearpark when she was six as her father, John Stoker, was colliery manager.

While the family lived in Bearpark, the youngsters helped her mum raise her siblings which included her brother Lewis, who played professional football for Birmingham City and represented England on two occasions.

She married her husband Arthur Hudspeth on March 6, 1937 and they set up home in Oxley Terrace, Pity Me.

The couple had three children, Lewis, Kathleen and Colin, and now has four grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

Mrs Hudspeth lived in the family home happily until 2015, aged 102, when she moved into Brandon Lodge Care Home, in Durham.

Her family and staff threw her a special party to mark the occasion and Mrs Hudspeth always received a telegram from Amber Rudd MP.

She received cards from the Queen on her 100th and 105th birthday, which are both framed in her room.

Her son Colin said his mother had been dedicated to her children and always kept active and looked on the bright side of life which he believed had contributed to her grand age.

He said: "She's always tried to keep her mind active with things like crosswords and still walks about."