A special party was held in Harlesden to celebrate a resident’s 100th birthday.

Iris Huntley, who lives in Craven Park Nursing Home in Craven Road, saw in her century with her sister Valerie Harman, daughter Hilary Collard, 69 and 31-year-old granddaughter Jemma Mitchell, as well as two nieces.

The great-grandmother, who has two children, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, grew up in the area working in her parents’ drapers shop in Church Street, Marylebone.

Mrs Huntley was pregnant when her first husband, Geoffrey Boit, died while fighting World War II.

She remarried but her second husband, Wilfred Collard, deserted her and moved to Malaysia where he already had a child.

She finally found happiness with Lawrence Huntley for more than 50 years, who died in 2014 aged 96.

Ms Collard said: “It all went really well. it was a really nice party with really good food.

“My mum had a stroke 18 months ago, and it’s such a shame as she loved talking. She was wilting a bit by the end but we all enjoyed ourselves.”