A 108-year-old woman has received hundreds of birthday cards after a plea from colleagues at her care home went viral.

The oldest lady in Harrogate, Dorothy Flowers turned 108 on Tuesday having received a total of 654 cards from strangers as far as Almeria in southern Spain, Bangkok, Las Vegas and New York.

As well as the cards, Dorothy’s also received a range of gifts including gin, champagne, flowers and chocolates to help her celebrate her big day.

Now a resident at Bupa Southlands care home in Harrogate, Dorothy had lived independently until the age of 104, but moved into the home in 2015 where she struck up a close friendship with colleagues.

Keen to mark her birthday, the team at the home put a message out of Facebook to encourage others to celebrate with Dorothy by sending her cards.

Helene Ballinger, resident experience manager for Bupa Southlands said: “It’s sad to think but, as people get older, they typically have fewer friends to celebrate with, which is why we always try and make a big effort for residents’ birthdays.

“We thought we were being optimistic by hoping for 108 cards – one for each of her years – so we’ve been blown away by the response. Dorothy’s something of a local celebrity now, our letterbox has been overflowing for weeks.

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who sent cards, especially those from abroad. Dorothy used to travel a lot when she was younger, so they’re bringing back some lovely memories.”

Born in Headingly, Leeds on October 22, 1911, Dorothy was one of two children to Frank and Fanny Wingate and grew up in the northern city with her younger brother, Norman.

As a child she attended the Leeds Girls Modern School before leaving aged 14 to pursue a career as an accountant.

It was whilst training for the career that she met her husband-to-be, Leonard, before joining him in working for the racecourse betting control board.

Despite Dorothy joking that she never got to see any of the sport, thanks to Leonard’s work behind the scenes as an accountant, the couple got married in Leeds in the early 1940s.

In a bid to keep national morale high during the Second World War, horse racing becoming one of the few national sports which wasn’t completely suspended, and the couple moved to London to support races across the country.

After the war, they moved to New Malden in Surrey where they held roles on the Race Course Betting Control Board, before they retired to Torbay in Devon in 1963.

Though the pair were married for nearly 40 years, until Leonard passed away in 1981, they never had children. Instead, Dorothy remains close with her niece, Judith Barrett, who still visits her regularly today.

After spending 14 years on her own in Devon – using it as a base to travel both the UK and internationally – Dorothy moved back up north in 1995, settling in Harrogate to be close to Judith.

Speaking about the cards, Judith said: “It’s the small gestures that can make a big difference. We never dreamt that my aunt would receive so many cards.

“While she’s not able speak any more, the smile on her face said it all. It was a wonderful surprise and has helped make her day so special. While she’s very independent, she’s always been happiest when surrounded by others, and the cards have made her feel very loved.”

As for Dorothy’s secrets for a long and happy life, she puts it down to champagne and chocolate.

Helene Ballinger said: “Dorothy loves company, so she’ll sit with us at the reception desk each day. She’s such a regular that she’s got her own drawer, which we keep full of chocolate buttons.

“Her real secret for longevity though has to be champagne. It’s the only thing we ever see her finish a glass of! Needless to say, we’ve been toasting her birthday – no one said life in care home had to be boring.”

To help her celebrate her birthday, the care home threw two parties – one with Judith and her family, and the other with attendees from nearby schools who sang to Dorothy before helping her open the stacks of cards.