Mabel Statham will be celebrating her 100th birthday on Friday at the Springfield Grange nursing home in Douglas.

Instead of celebrations because of the current lockdown restrictions, her daughter Doreen Callister is hoping that she can be sent 100 birthday cards.

Mabel married Dennis Statham in 1961 in Lancashire. They moved to the island, which they loved, to retire in 1994 to be closer to Doreen, who came here in 1969 after marrying John Callister from Peel.

They first lived in Tromode and then Onchan.

Dennis died in 1999.

She has three sons - Ernest, Derrick and Edward - and 13 grandchildren.

Mabel also has 21 great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren.

During the 1940s Mabel served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (Women’s branch of the British Army), and after that in a woolen mill. Later in the 1940s, she also fostered children.

Doreen talked about how she had always run a small business, collecting bric-a-brac and making homemade dolls clothing to sell and raise money for cancer research.

She also volunteered at the charity’s shop in Onchan.

Though there can be no visit from the Lieutenant Governor, it has been arranged for Mabel to receive the customary letter from the Queen.

Cards can be sent to Springfield Grange nursing home at Stevenson Way, Douglas, IM2 2EL.