From cleaning a popular broads pub for a couple of years when she was in her 80s, to regularly knitting outfits for charity, few could begrudge Margaret Bathgate from taking a deserved rest.

For it was a time to relax and celebrate as she marked a special centenary last week with family and friends at her home in Oulton Broad.

Born in Dell Road, Oulton Broad on March 13, 1922, the former Gorleston Road school pupil has lived almost all her life in Lowestoft.

After leaving school aged 14, Margaret Williams - as she was back then - had moved from Dell Road when she was three to live in Normanston Drive with her mother, after her father died at a young age.

She would be employed in "domestic work", before working during the Second World War at Co-Op canning factory, where she remained for a "number of years".

Later Margaret worked at Pye TV, at Birds Eye and at Lowestoft Library, and her daughter in law Karen said: "She was cleaning in The Commodore pub in Oulton Broad for a couple of years when she was 84."

Recalling an evening out at The Odeon cinema on its opening night when she was a teenager, Mrs Bathgate said: "I remember my friend's father was the chauffeur for Lowestoft philanthropist Howard Hollingsworth, and we went to the opening of The Odeon cinema in Lowestoft in 1937."

It was not long after this that love blossomed - as she met her husband to be while walking home from a dance.

She recalled: "I went to a dance at the church hall in Oulton Broad.

"I was walking home, and on Normanston Drive when I heard this voice behind me that said 'did you enjoy yourself' - it was William.

"So I said 'were you in there' and he replied 'no, we just looked in', so we kept walking up the rest of Normanston Drive and made arrangements to go the pictures the next night."

The next evening they went to the cinema, before getting a bus home as Margaret found out more about William Bathgate, from Edinburgh, who was in the territorial army before the war broke out.

Mrs Bathgate said: "He was posted here and there used to be a former hospital base in Normanston Drive where he was billeted.

"By the end of the war he had become a Sgt Major, and he spent a lot of his time in Italy."

The couple were married in Edinburgh when Margaret was 19.

Mrs Bathgate recalled: "I had both my children during the war - Roger in 1943 and Colin was born near the end of the war in 1945.

"We lived in Normanston Drive, and my mother moved in with us after the war, while my husband worked for the gas board when he came out of the war."

The couple continued to "work hard" and "keep busy", with Mr and Mrs Bathgate being popular members of the The Lowestoft and District Amateur Wine Circle for more than 30 years.

She said: "We both both made homemade wine and won trophies several times - elderflower wine was my favourite.

"We went on journeys abroad to Germany, France and Belgium, and we had some lovely times."

After Mr Bathgate died, a shield was unveiled for members to compete for in his memory.

After outliving her husband and two sons, her family - including two great grandchildren - said: "We are very, very proud of her.

"She still does her own cooking, and cooks fresh every day.

"She does incredibly well and is an inspiration to us and all the family.

'For her age she is brilliant and her memory is so good."

So what is the secret of her success?

Mrs Bathgate said: "Homemade wine, and a good diet is important."

With "a lot of visitors" turning out over the weekend of her 100th birthday, a family meal was held on the Sunday.

Currently living on Bridge Road, which has been her home for "nearly 40 years", and reflecting on her 100th birthday celebrations Mrs Bathgate said: "It was lovely.

"I had a very busy weekend, it was nice with all the people coming in here.

"It was lovely to get a card from The Queen and there were flowers everywhere."