Nellie toasts 105th

A GREAT-grandmother celebrated her 105th birthday yesterday, making her one of the oldest women in Oldham.

Nellie May Wood was surrounded by family and friends at Park House Residential Home, Queens Road, at a special birthday buffet.

And longevity runs in the family as sister Hilda Bradley was 101 two months ago and Betty, the youngest of five sisters and two brothers, is 85.

Born in Shropshire, Mrs Wood left school and went into domestic service in Didsbury, Manchester.

She met future husband, Arthur William Wood, in the early 1930s when he was working selling Goblin vacuum cleaners door-to-door. They married and went on to have a daughter Irene and son Tony.

Mr Wood, who died 26 years ago, then worked in the warehouse at Her Majesty’s Stationary Office on Broadway, Chadderton. The family moved to Middleton Road, Chadderton, where Mrs Wood lived until she was 98.

Her daughter Irene Roberts said: “Mum always said hard work and eating healthy food is the secret to her long life.”