A WOMAN celebrating her 80th birthday has asked her friends not to buy her presents this year.

Marie McCormick, of Darlington, who was 80 on Wednesday, is hosting a party at the town's Masonic Hall tomorrow, to mark her special day.

But on the invitations, Mrs McCormick has asked her friends and relatives to donate money to charity rather than buy gifts.

Her guests are being asked to support the Diabetics Association and The British Heart Foundation in memory of Mrs McCormick's late husband, Edwin.

She said: "At my age, there is nothing I really want and people never know what to buy someone of my age.

"I thought it would be nice to ask people to donate money in memory of Edwin, who suffered from diabetes."

But Mrs McCormick did give herself one present to celebrate her big day - a 25- day cruise to New York.

She visited the World Trade Centre in the city the day before the terrorist attack wrecked the twin towers. But she was able to leave the area soon after the atrocity.

She said: "It was a terrible thing and in a way I am glad to be home, but the rest of the cruise was marvellous.

"Edwin took me on a cruise for my 70th birthday and said he would bring me back for my 80th, but sadly he could not be here. I decided to make exactly the same trip. It brought back a lot of memories."