Enid Williams' 109th birthday amid care home review

Mrs Williams now has six cards from The Queen

A Porthmadog woman has celebrated her 109th birthday but there is concern the care home she lives in may close.

Enid Vaughan Williams, or auntie Enid, is one of the oldest women living in Wales and has six cards from The Queen.

At a party to celebrate the event, the Friends of Hafod y Gest said the home should remain open until a "better" alternative was found.

Gwynedd Council board is due to discuss a review of all residential and care home provision on Tuesday.

Bron y Graig residential home at Bala would be the first home to close as the council looks at its residential and nursing care for older people.

The council said it planned instead to develop "support services" to allow people to stay in their own homes.

Speaking before her party at Hafod y Gest, Mrs Williams said she did not know what the secret of her long life was.

"I live just like everyone else," she said.

She left school at the age of 15 and took on an apprenticeship at Mclean's milliners in Porthmadog.

Five years later, she left to help her mother run a grocery and clothing store in Penrhyndeudraeth while her father ran a butcher's shop in the village.

She later married baker Elias Williams and the couple built a home in the area.

Mrs Williams has lived at the Porthmadog home since she suffered a short illness in 2009.

"I don't do anything now, but I used to knit and sew, but hated sports," she said.

She said she remembered vividly when the first car arrived in her home village.

A party was arranged to celebrate the big day

Receiving her sixth telegram from The Queen was "very nice", she said, and she had been very much looking forward to her party.

The celebrations, on Sunday, were tinged with concern however as Gwynedd county councillor, Selwyn Griffiths, said nothing should change if it did not improve the situation for people living in care homes.

"We don't want to see any change here unless there is something better for them," he added.

Martha Hughes from the Friends of Borth y Gest home said she was worried about what might happen as "this is such a happy home".

"We want to carry on with this home in Porthmadog, there is a need for it here," she added.

A spokesman for Gwynedd council said the council board would discuss the review of care and residential homes in a meeting on Tuesday.