Wales' oldest woman celebrates 110th birthday in Llandeilo

Wales' oldest woman, 110, still enjoys newspaper puzzles

As she celebrated her 110th birthday, Mary Keir said the secret to a long life was staying busy and gardening.

Believed to be Wales' oldest woman, Ms Keir was born just weeks before Titanic's disastrous voyage.

A party was held for her at Awel Tywi Care Home in Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, where she has lived for the past 10 years.

Ysgol Gynradd Ffairfach pupils entertained her with folk dancing outside as she watched from the lounge.

Born on 3 March 1912 in St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Mary's father was a blanket weaver. She remembers a quiet, village-like life in the UK's smallest city.

She said: "I remember going to the chapel. My father was a deacon and my mother looked after things in communion."

She celebrated her 110th birthday at the care home where she lives

Mary's passion was music, and she enjoyed playing piano, so her father saved up to buy one second hand.

A Cardiff doctor who had a villa in St Davids, suggested she should train as a nurse.

At 21 she moved to Cardiff to work at Llandough Hospital.

"It was put to me and I thought, 'here's my chance to get away'," she said.

"There was nothing for me in the village."

She believes the key to her long life was staying busy: "I've always wanted to do something. We had a garden in Llansteffan and I loved gardening. I loved growing things. "

Her son Robert dubbed his mum "a miracle"

After meeting husband Douglas, she moved to Llansteffan, Carmarthenshire, to work as a community nurse.

At 40, she gave birth to her son Robert, who said his mother had "never been a drinker or a smoker".

"She was nursing in Cardiff during the war at Llandough Hospital," the 70-year-old said.

"They were bombed. She's seen a lot. She's something of a miracle really."

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