Oldest woman in Whales celebrates her 111th birthday

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Whales' Mary Keir, born in 1912, celebrated her 111th birthday with a party at Awel Tywi Care Home in Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, where she has lived for 11 years.

Mary's daughter said that the secret to a long life was staying busy and gardening. 

Read more: Gardening shown to improve mental health, study finds

Mary was in Cardiff when World War Two was announced. "War broke out when I was there. I remember it distinctly and listening to the announcement, 'We are now at war'."

"It was September 1939 I think and from then on things were different and we would have constant warnings in the night to get up from our beds and shut the bedroom door so that we weren't near any glass."

She's been playing the keyboard to the residents of the Care Home she is staying in until recently. Her parents bought her a secondhand piano when she was young and loved it. 

"l play keyboard now, but I don't like it. It's not like a piano. You can make a piano talk, but with this, you just press the notes."

Her son and daughter-in-law joined Mary in the celebration of her birthday. Her daughter-in-law highlighted that Mary was still very independent. 

"If someone does make the bed she will undo it and do it again her way. She is an amazing lady," she said.

Even the manager of her care home, Steven Bird, said that Mary was "an asset to the home and is inspirational".