Dancing Queen Gladys turns 108 on Christmas Day

Gladys Banks, dressed in a red puffer coat with a red tartan blanket over her knees, sat in an armchair in her front garden. There is a table next to her with a huge birthday cake with four lit candles. Gladys is holding a champagne flute in one hand and smiling and waving. Out of shot is a large crowd of people stood in the street, wishing her a happy birthday
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At 108, Gladys Banks is the long-reigning Dancing Queen of Borough Green

  • Published

A village community in Kent came together to celebrate a special person born on Christmas Day.

Gladys Banks - dubbed the Queen of Borough Green - turns 108 today, and enjoyed a street party held in her honour.

The whole community gathered in the street outside Gladys' front garden for an early bash on 30 November during their Christmas lights switch on and treated her to a birthday cake, champagne and music, while the large crowd sang Happy Birthday.

Abba fan Gladys, who danced in her chair holding a glass of fizz, said: "The people here in Borough Green are so good to me. I'm the Queen of Borough Green, you know, so I practise my wave!"

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The whole community has thrown Gladys a birthday party every year since she became a centenarian

The community has thrown her a party every year since she turned 100.

"I know there's lots of old ladies that probably don't see anybody from one week to another," said great-grandmother Gladys, who was born in 1916 in the middle of World War One.

"I'm very lucky here."

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Gladys still loves dancing

Becky Holdstock, who organises the parties for Gladys, said: "I just adore her. You can still talk to her like a friend, she's got everything that you'd possibly ever want at 108.

"She's the most loveliest lady I've ever met in my life. She still goes out - she does more than me."

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