A CENTENARIAN who treasured her independence and lived in her own home until last year has celebrated her 102nd birthday.

Margaret Baxter enjoyed a glass of sherry with family and friends at a party at the Leeming Bar Grange care home, in Leeming, North Yorkshire, yesterday.

Mrs Baxter was presented with a cake, which had been baked by care home chef Craig Richie.

There is exactly 80 years between Mrs Baxter and Mr Richie, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Sunday.

Mrs Baxter, who grew up in Leeds, was born in 1907, two weeks before poet WH Auden and a fortnight after legendary footballer Dixie Dean.

She married her husband, Barrie, in 1935. The couple went on to have a daughter.

Mrs Baxter worked as a domestic science teacher and her husband was an insurance broker.

Asked for the secret to a long life, she said simply to "be content and happy".

And what advice would she give to young people today?

"Make the best of what you have got," advised Mrs Baxter.