A former Bolton landlady is having a party fit for a Queen as she celebrates her 100th birthday today.

Irene Howard celebrated her landmark birthday with her family on Saturday and today will be celebrating some more at Blackrod House.

The week long birthday celebrations saw Irene joined by four generations of her family-  her daughters, her grandchildren, her great grandchildren and her great great grandchildren.

Irene spoke to The Bolton News about the landmark event, although she was notably nonplussed.

She said: "It doesn't feel any different!"

Irene said she enjoyed the party with her family.

She has been looking forward to her birthday party at the home in which she lives, Blackrod House.

She said: "We're having a party and a singer is coming in, which will be nice."

Sharing her birthday with the Platinum Jubilee, Irene also praised the Queen, having met her years ago.

She said: "She is really one of us, she doesn't talk down to you.

"She's wonderful. She is very very nice, I went to meet her. I was quite impressed with her."

Her daughter Anne Halton, aged 75, told The Bolton News: “It does mean a lot. She’ll probably say I’m not 100, how can anybody be 100?

“She’ll be looking forward to the card from the Queen though.”

Anne praised her mother for the energy she has at her age.

Anne said: “She has so much energy, you wouldn’t believe it.”

She also spoke about Irene’s experiences since the coronavirus pandemic and how moving into a care home has helped.

She said: “She didn’t do covid very well. She was living on her own and when she went into hospital, we thought we should find her a place.”

Anne said Irene is very fond of Blackrod House.

She said: “She loves it, she joins in with everything they do in terms of activities.”

READ: Former Bolton landlady Irene Howard is matriarch to five generations

With the birth of her great, great grandsons a few years ago, Irene’s family has five living generations.

Irene raised her family in Horwich, working in the pub and hotel industry around Bolton with her ex-partner Ronald Fletcher.

Irene is well known around Bolton, having been a publican until the mid-1960s.