A WOMAN who loves reading her newspaper every day has herself hit the headlines!

For Mrs Ida Birchall has celebrated her 103rd birthday at Cameron House Care Home in Cameron Street, Bury.

Friends, family and fellow residents helped Ida celebrate her big day last Thursday. She enjoyed a birthday tea complete with cake.

Ida is a relatively new addition to Lancashire, having spent most of her life 'across the border' in Yorkshire.

She was born in Castleford and left school at 13 to become an apprentice milner before serving as an office clerk during World War Two.

She married Charles, a fireman, and the couple were together for 63 years. In 1995, Ida came to live in Bury with her late niece and her husband. She moved to Cameron House in April, 2002.

Helen Dean, activities co-ordinator at the care home, said: "Ida is still very active and dresses herself every day.

" She reads her newspaper daily and always keeps up with the television news.

"She's always been interested in flower arranging and has fresh flowers each week.

"On her birthday, there were lots of visitors and a cake was made. She didn't spent too long at the celebration because she doesn't really like the noise."