A passionate painter celebrated her 104th birthday surrounded by friends.

Hilda Mathie spent the landmark day opening cards and presents and eating cake and tea, which she enjoyed with friends and staff at Hobkirk Resource Centre in New Malden.

After joining in songs and blowing out birthday candles at her party on Friday, February 24, Hilda said she had no secret to a long life but that it was just down to luck.

She said: "I am sorry but there isn’t a secret, it’s just happened. My parents lived into their 70s and 80s but my grandfather lived to be 105 which was good for those days.

"It’s been lovely seeing all the people here."

The former Ordanance Survey worker, who moved to the nursing home when she was 99, lived in a Tolworth bungalow with her husband Colin, who she married in Southampton in 1942.

She said: "He was a very good husband and we got on so well together."

The Birmingham born woman never had any children of her own but since turning 100 she has been visited yearly by an old friend’s grandchildren and relatives, who live in Holland.

Jeremy Schutte said: "Our grandmother was friends with Hilda, so we have always visited her since we were young. We used to live in Tolworth.

"We came over for her 100th birthday and every year since.

"She used to be very good at painting and has always been active."

The pensioner said she used to love painting but has had to give the hobby up due to her poor eye sight.