International Women's Day; Northants Land Girl reaches 100

Mabel Bright joined the Women's Land Army in 1941 at the age of 18

On the day the achievements of women are being remembered, a care home has been celebrating its own centenarian Land Girl.

Mabel Bright, from Northamptonshire, was one of the thousands of women who worked on farms to help with food production during World War Two

She described the experience as "a very hard time" but enjoyed the work.

She recently celebrated her 100th birthday at the Meadow View Care Home in Wellingborough.

About 80.000 women worked for the Women's Land Army during the Second World War

The Women's Land Army (WLA) was originally set up during World War One but was then disbanded.

It reformed in 1939, initially as a voluntary workforce, but women were conscripted into the Land Army from 1941.

Its main aim was to boost food production on British soil, as much of the country's food had been imported during peacetime.

Mabel Bright's father persuaded her to join the WLA at the age of 18, and she was stationed at Kislingbury in Northamptonshire.

Mabel Bright said "the war was an important time to show the contribution women could make to society"

As a Land Girl she carried out all kinds of roles on a farm, from growing and packing vegetables to driving tractors and leading plough horses.

Ms Bright said: "I found strength in adversity but we didn't really have any other choice.

"The war was an important time to show the contribution women could make to society and proved our role as working members of the community.

"It was a very hard time but I did enjoy the work and the people I met along the way."

Mabel Bright celebrated her 100th birthday at Meadow View care home

After two years with the WLA, Ms Bright became a postmistress before joining a company that made sunglasses.

Her final job was a sample maker at a shoe factory in Northants.

Joy Henshaw, the regional director of Wellbeing Care, the owners of the care home said: "We're lucky that our work allows us to spend time with inspirational women, day in and day out.

"Mabel lived a very different life to us and contributed massively to society, so we aim to celebrate her today, and show her how thankful we are."