Meet three birthday girls who are celebrating reaching a combined 305 years old!

The trio – 105-year-old Dorothy Fox, and new centenarians Audrey Fern and Beryl Harding – are all residents at the same Ipswich care home.

Their birthdays fell just weeks apart – between May 10 and June 7.

To mark their milestones, a special party was staged at their Norwood care home in Park Road.

Family and friends joined them to celebrate the occasion yesterday, with managers at the home organising a sing-song, party food, drinks and a giant cake.

Newly appointed mayor of Ipswich John Le Grys dropped by to congratulate Dorothy, Audrey and Beryl, while bishop of Dunwich the right reverend Clive Young also paid them a visit.

And The Evening Star passed on our best wishes with a bouquet of flowers for each of the trio.

Care home manager Simon Manning said everyone had enjoyed the day.

“I have been here for just over a year and have got to know the ladies really well,” he said.

“They have all had really special days.”

The pensioners have lived through the horrors of two world wars, the struggles which followed the conflicts, the great depression of the 1930s and great cultural changes along the way, too.

And they have all enjoyed fascinating lives.

Audrey’s brother was Sir Stanley Rous, who became the sixth president of football’s world governing body FIFA in the 1960s as well as serving as secretary of the Football Association from 1934 until 1962.

Meanwhile, Beryl was the first woman to become chairman of the bench at Ipswich magistrates’ court.

And independent Dorothy did not move into the care home until she was 101.

Audrey’s daughter, Catherine Westren, 64, said: “She has had a few parties now and this one has been fantastic.”

Catherine’s brother Roger added: “It has been great to celebrate the occasion.”

Audrey said: “I have had such a lovely day – it has made me really happy.”

Audrey turned 100 on June 7, Beryl reached the same milestone on May 23 and Dorothy turned 105 on May 10.

Are you celebrating a special birthday? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or send an e-mail to eveningstarletters@evening star.co.uk