RSPCA flowers for 100 year old Violet Monk

RSPCA chairman Mary Bristow gave Violet a bouquet of specially-themed colours to match her name, with violet irises and cream roses against darker purple blooms.

She congratulated her on her birthday and thanked her for the hard work done for the local branch of RSPCA.

Mary said: "Violet is always making things for us, such as decorations for Christmas trees. "Over the years she has made so much incredible stuff - all unique and different. She is very active...she is always the last one standing when the rest of us are ready to sit down."

Violet's birthday was the day before the fair - on Friday March 14 - and she celebrated with a family lunch party including daughter Iris and son Colin.

She also went to London to visit old friends in Leyton, where she used to live, and enjoyed a tea party in Little Common with church friends, a highlight of which was a magic show by Colin.

She was born Violet Gibbs in Hackney and grew up in Essex, one of a large family - five sisters and two brothers - and she took on responsibility for the younger ones when their parents died. She worked in an office as a shorthand typist until she married at the age of 28, having met James Monk. They raised their family in Leyton where Violet stayed all her married life. She moved to Bexhill 10 years ago and lives in Ellerslie Lane, a well-known face in Little Common, and much admired for her hats and keen sense of style.

Iris said: "She is just fabulous. It is just amazing. You don't realise she is so old, and you think she is indestructible. When you think of all the changes in her life in 100 years...she has seen gas lighting, then electricity and all the things that came with it, all the appliances, she has seen aeroplanes come in, cars, and in her liftetime two world wars. It is a terrific span."

Violet was helping her daughter as usual at the raffle stall during the fair at St Martha's church which Mary Bristow described as a "well-attended event".

"We have had more people this time than usual - it has been wonderful,"

she said.