CENTENARIAN Vera Sawyer took a trip back to her former home to mark her 100th birthday surrounded by friends and family.Born and bred in Felixstowe, Mrs Sawyer has lived all her life in the seaside town.

CENTENARIAN Vera Sawyer took a trip back to her former home to mark her 100th birthday surrounded by friends and family.

Born and bred in Felixstowe, Mrs Sawyer has lived all her life in the seaside town.

For the past 12 years she has been in the sheltered accommodation at Collimer Court in Walton but moved earlier this year to the resort's Westcliff home because she needed greater care.

For her birthday party though she insisted on going back to the sheltered complex in Walton High Street to be with the friends who had shared her life for so long.

Mrs Sawyer said she had loved living in Felixstowe and could recall many changes over the years - one of her strongest memories though is as a child seeing massive Zeppelins making a raid on the town during the first world war.

After leaving school, she did café work and cleaning, and also spent some time in service, before marrying her husband Eldred, a long distance driver, who died 26 years ago.

They had three children - daughters Barbara and Thelma, and son Stan, who died 11 years ago and was for many years a Trimley parish councillor and the Evening Star's village correspondent.

Mrs Sawyer, who for many years was a member of the Felixstowe Salvation Army Over 60s Club, has six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Her daughter Thelma said: “She was very active well into her 90s and would often go for long walks of several miles.

“But she cannot see or hear so well now and she moved to the Westcliff in January so that there would be people to care for her full time.”