ONE of Herefordshire's oldest residents celebrated her 103rd birthday last week, surrounded by many members of her large family.

Frances Cissy' Williams, who now lives in Leominster's BUPA care home, was born in Adforton, one of four children, though she has now outlived her sister and two brothers.

Cissy married Thomas Fred TF' Williams in 1930, and the couple had five children, four boys and a girl.

Until two years ago, Cissy lived with her son Gerald and daughter-in-law Pam at her Wigmore home, where she and TF had a smallholding and a small haulage business.

"We always had a good time," says Pam, who now visits Cissy every day. "She's been more like a mum to me than a mother-in-law."

"Cissy, who has four surviving children, 19 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild, was visited on her birthday by a 101-year-old fellow resident," said Monica Hartley at the care home.

"She'd asked to meet someone who's older than her."

Picture by Ben Hussain. 064217-1