A Lowestoft woman celebrated her 100th birthday in style - as a special summer fete was arranged in her honour.

Pam Allen was the chief guest at the summer fete organised in the grounds by Carlton Hall Residential Village near Lowestoft to celebrate her landmark birthday.

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With staff at Carlton Hall having put out an appeal on Facebook to try to get 100 birthday cards to mark Pam’s centenary, they were stunned to receive more than twice the number they'd hoped for.

Pam’s daughter Lynda Huke said: “One card came from Dubai and there were several unusual ones particularly one with a portrait with an incredible likeness of mum - as well as a special one from the Queen.

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“Mum was delighted to receive so many cards and they are still arriving.

"She thanks everyone for their kind words.”

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Mrs Allen's family said staff at the residential home had "really excelled" as the birthday celebrations were held last Thursday, August 11.

Mrs Huke said: "They planned a Summer Fete around mother’s birthday with stalls, music, singers, tombola, an animal petting area and birds of prey.”

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Pam Allen, nee Platten, was born in 1922 and lived in Mutford, attending the village school.

When she left education, she took a job at the Co-operative Canning Factory, cycling from Mutford to work.

She has always loved music and dancing and used to regularly go to the Palais De Dance in Pakefield with her friend.

When she was 18 she was called up for the Second World War and joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service - the women's branch of the British Army - as an officer’s cook.

Pam met her first husband before the war, and they married in 1944.

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They had two children Lynda and Robert and lived in Catherine Terrace in Pakefield before later moving to Long Road.

After the war she returned to working as a land-girl before taking a job in a gift shop on South Pier and later working as a toilet attendant in the underground toilets near Royal Plain until her retirement – while there she received much praise for their cleanliness and for the flowers she provided.

Pam remarried in 1968 to Charlie Allen and they had a happy life together until he died.

She moved to Carlton Hall when she was 96.

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Asked what was the secret to her mother’s long life, Mrs Huke said: "A love of music and she never worries about anything.

"She doesn’t need spectacles or a hearing aid.

"She is really amazing!”