A SOUTH Durham woman who played a part in the Second World War effort has reached the age of 100.

Alice Watson, originally of High Lands, near Cockfield, was surrounded by family and friends at a party thrown for her birthday.

The centenarian was an Aycliffe Angel during the war, working with yellow powder at ROF Aycliffe.

She was one of six women from High Lands to walk to the factory for a bus each day at 6am.

"It was a great big factory with thousands of us working there," she said. "They were the happiest days of my life."

At the age of 22 Mrs Watson married her husband Freddie Watson, a miner who was sent to India in the war years, who died in about 1987.

Mrs Watson moved from Butterknowle one-and-a-half years ago and now lives at The Fields care home, in Low Etherley.

A knitting enthusiast, the former Lands WI secretary makes bookmarks and coat hangers which she donates to a missionary box.

About 20 people turned out for a celebration at The Fields on Sunday (December 20).

Family member Rita Nicol, 73, of Cockfield, said: "It was a great party and she talked to everybody. She's marvellous for her age."