A ROMANTIC novelist who wrote more than 130 bodice-rippers has celebrated her 100th birthday.

Great-grandmother Jean S MacLeod began writing for Mills and Boon in 1940, aged 32, shortly after she gave birth to her only child, David Walton.

Ms MacLeod, who also wrote as Catherine Airlie, continued writing until the age of 87, by which time she had clocked 130 novels including: Stranger in Their Midst, Special Nurse, Dangerous Obsession, Cruel Deception, Adam's Daughter and Island Stranger.

She continued to write for Mills and Boon after the publisher was taken over by American company Harlequin, but was uncomfortable with its request to "sex up" her books.

On Sunday, Ms MacLeod celebrated her centenary with her son and 30 friends, many from the village of Thornton-le Beans, near Northallerton, where she has lived for more than 20 years.

After the party at The Crosby pub, in the village, Ms MacLeod was honoured by her son.

He said: "It was very good. I was so pleased that so many people had come. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

"I was born in 1939 and she was writing books then and throughout the war, but I never noticed her writing.

"It was quite incredible that it never interfered with anything.

"Her two main achievements: writing those books almost effortlessly and bringing me up during the war, which was not easy."

Mr Walton once asked his mother if she would retire to which she answered: "Why would I retire? My brain would go."

He said: "I think it's an astounding achievement of a 100-year-old, especially one born in 1908. She has lived through two world wars and achieved 130 books - and brought up a son. I don't think you can ask more than that."

Mrs MacLeod said: "Thank you everybody for coming to my birthday and for all you have done for me during the year. It has been very nice to see you."

When asked about what gave her so much inspiration throughout her writing career she answered simply: "Life. Just life as it is. It is everything you have experienced during your life and it comes out in your writing."