SHE may be 100 but a North Yorkshire centenarian isn't ready to give up on her latest hobby.

Nellie Alderson, who lives at the Nightingale Hall residential home in Richmond, was celebrating with family on Thursday.

But, once all the fuss was over, she was looking forward to going back to the town's baths and resuming the swimming lessons she started earlier this year.

"She's not really strong enough to swim a length or anything like that but she loves the water and will be keeping up with her lessons," said a spokeswoman at the home.

Mrs Alderson never learned to swim when she was younger as she was too busy bringing up four children on a hillside farm above Low Row in Swaledale.

However, with a little more time to herself these days, she thought she would put that right.

"Water has always fascinated me and I always enjoyed a paddle at the seaside," she said back in May.

Mrs Alderson was surrounded by flowers and cards as well as her family who planned a party at for her at Nightingale Hall.

Also among the well-wishers were chairman of Richmondshire District Council, James Kendall - who visited in person to present a bouquet.

The Queen also sent the traditional congratulatory message from Buckingham Palace.