RELATIVES from New Zealand and Ireland helped a former teacher celebrate her 103rd birthday.

Rose Prior, a resident of Nazareth House residential home in Middlesbrough, spent the day with her family, including her 91-year-old nephew, John Prior, who gave a speech at her celebration.

Rose, who tucked into birthday cake and champagne on her special day, said: "I've had a lovely weekend seeing my relatives and I got nearly 50 cards."

Miss Prior has been living at the residential home since 1993.

"When you get to my age there is no better place than this home," she said. "I have no grumbles about anything."

Niece Margaret Clark, who lives near Yarm, said: "She's as bright as a button and even read a poem at the celebrations on Saturday. She's a lovely person. If you're out of sorts you can always rely on Auntie Rose to put everything back in perspective."

Sister Faustina, who is a carer at the residential home, said: "She's wonderful. She puts us to all to shame. All her memory is still there and she goes to mass every day. She has tremendous health and can still walk with the help of a frame. She's great."

Miss Prior taught for 40 years at St Augustine's School in Darlington and was an enthusiastic member of St Thomas Aquinas Church.

After she retired in 1960, she was one of the early volunteers at the Mayor's Charity Shop in Darlington where she worked until 1993.

Miss Prior, the youngest of 13 children, is descended from a family who came over from Ireland during the potato famine to work on the Stockton & Darlington Railway.

Since then, five generations have been involved in the industry.