WAR veteran Dorothy Hunter celebrated her 100th birthday yesterday with around 30 close friends and family at Freelands House.

Mrs Hunter also opened her birthday card from the Queen.

Mrs Hunter has lived in Charlbury for the past 39 years, after moving there to be closer to her daughter Christine.

She was born in Northumberland but moved south in the Second World War when she was conscripted to work for the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), and operated radar machines at Dover to detect German aircraft during the Battle of Britain.

Shortly after the war ended she met her husband Ted Hunter and they married in October 1946. They had three children, Christine, Robert and Brian, whilst they were living in Hayes, Greater London.

When Mr Hunter died in 1965, Mrs Hunter went back to work as a telephonist at the local planning office.

Robert joined the Navy and Brian briefly moved to Witney and worked at the Oxford Bakery Engineers.

Robert said of his mother: “She is still very with it and bright, she is quite a fighter. She is independent and always wants to be out and about.”

Mrs Hunter said the secret to a long and happy life was being with her family and the people she loved.