A FORMER Sunday School teacher celebrated her 100th birthday yesterday.

Gladys Taylor, of Craig Street, Darlington, attended morning worship at Holy Trinity Church, in the town, followed by an informal celebration.

Later, she had a family lunch and was then joined by friends for tea and cake.

Miss Taylor was born in Luton but has spent most of her life in Darlington.

She worked for nearly 35 years at the offices of Lily Laundry Limited, in the town's Russell Street, and has been a worshipper at Holy Trinity Church since the 1920s.

Together with her late brother and sister, Horace and Ivy, she ran the Sunday School, initially at the old church hall in Pierremont Road and later in the church itself, until 1986.

Miss Taylor's cousin, Richard Riddle, one of just two surviving blood relatives in the UK, said: "She ran the school from 1936.

"Many generations of Sunday schoolchildren will remember her kindliness, and the wonderful Christmas parties they organised at Pierremont Hall for almost 50 years, the earlier ones during very frugal times.

"Gladys always says she has had a good life - not without its ups and downs, of course - but a life of service to the church, with lots of good friends and a few but dear relatives."