A Darlington centenarian celebrated her birthday with music yesterday.

The festivities for Barbara Bell, who is a resident of Eden Cottage Care Home, were opened by a Scottish piper.

She was joined by friends, family and the Mayor of Darlington, Councillor Stella Robson.

Mrs Bell was born in Darlington and lived in Henry Street until the family grew to six girls and one boy. She then moved a few streets away to live with her grandmother and grandfather.

She was married to Norman and they had two children - a son called, Frank, who lives in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, and a late daughter, Margaret.

The couple were agents for the Co-operative Insurance services.

Mrs Bell was a keen cyclist and walker until she was in her eighties and she enjoyed walking to visit family in Hurworth from Darlington.

Maureen Horton, proprietor of Eden Cottage Care Home, said: "Barbara has been poorly these past few months and we feared we might not get her to a hundred. But this past week or so she has gradually been putting us all in our places again, which has been music to our ears because that is the real Mrs Barbara Bell."

Mrs Bell's son, Frank, and his son, Ian, and her nieces, Doris and Christine, attended the party and presented her with a blue dress and birthday cake.