Popular '˜Aunty Joan' turns 100

A popular Eastbourne lady, affectionately known as Aunty Joan, has celebrated her 100th birthday and revealed her secret to longevity.

By The Newsroom

Published 27th Jan 2017, 11:53 BST

Updated 27th Jan 2017, 11:58 BST

Joan who is 100 years old at her home in Eastbourne (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-170126-001135008

Joan McKenna was born in 1916 in Sutton, Surrey, only moving out of the area when she came to Eastbourne in 2003.

Joan married and during the Second World War her husband was away for days, working as a handyman and carpenter in the War Rooms, coming across Winston Churchill on many occasions.

The couple didn’t have any children, but she is known as Aunty Joan to everyone.

A friend on Joan, Harry Pope, said, “She is a real personality and sharp minded.

“Living close to the seafront with her niece and her husband, you will often see her sitting on a seafront bench, having already enjoyed her daily coffee with a tot of brandy - the secret of her longevity.”

Joan celebrated her birthday with friends and family and received a card from the Queen.