A MUM with more than 40 descendants celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday.

Dozens of Florence Powell's friends and family members joined the party at the Parish Church Hall on Church Lane in Chalfont St Peter.

Mrs Powell was born in Wiltshire in 1911 and has lived through the reigns of four British monarchs.

She said on Saturday afternoon: “I'm enjoying the party very very much. All these people have taken so much trouble to be here, it's been lovely.”

Mrs Powell, of Leachcroft, Chalfont St Peter, is a mother-of-six, with 16 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

A former service maid, she began work aged just 13, getting up at 6.15am every morning and cleaning and doing housework until 10pm.

Initially working for Lady St Moore at Wilcot Manor in Pewsey, Wiltshire, the only free time she would have was on Thursday afternoons and every other Sunday.

She moved to Gerrards Cross in 1930 and worked for several wealthy families in the area. She met husband Ernie at a Boxing Day dance and the pair got married in 1935.

Ernie was in the Home Guard during the Second World War and died of lung cancer in 1963 aged 57.

Her five surviving children were all at the party: Pam Tyler, 74, from Berkshire, Sheila Turner, 71, who lives with Florence, Edna Greenwood, 65, from Cornwall, Brenda Spargo, 63, from Hazlemere and Philip Powell, 61, from Scotland. Eldest son Alec Powell died four years ago.