THE secret to a long life is to not get stressed and be ‘appreciative of what life gives you’, a care home resident has shared on her 100th birthday.

Freda Riste, who lives at Harrier Grange care home in Hawker Siddeley Way, celebrated her landmark year in style with her family and friends, having bought a special blue dress to mark the July 3 occasion.

After blowing out the candles on her 100th birthday cake, specially made by the home’s head chef James Blight, Freda and the residents enjoyed a barbecue in the garden, as well as performances from 1940s classics singer Vicki Parkinson and Middle Wallop Military Wives Choir.

Freda said: “We were never very well off as far as money was concerned, but I never got stressed and never wanted for anything better than I already had.

“I had a wonderful life with my husband Harold and I was always happy just being with him - we never went to bed on an argument.

“My fondest memory is when my daughter Valerie was born and I remember the matron brought in a knitted fur baby coat for her which was so kind.”

Freda, who married Harold in 1936, but is now widowed, had the joy of being with her large family on the day - her daughter Valerie, three grandchildren, Sandy, Nicolas and Simon, seven great grandchildren Sam, Megan, Joe, Tristen, Camilla, Malin and Joshua, and her two great great grandchildren Trinity and Mikey.

Looking back on life Freda remembers vividly the “frightening” blackouts during World War II, which broke out when she was 21-years-old.

Despite the fear and hardship the war brought, Freda always has a “positive” outlook and worked at a café during the conflict before going on to run a guest house in Weymouth with Harold.

Freda sees her guest house as her “best achievement.”

She added: “It was an ambition of mine as I always wanted to run my own business.”

Kay Kelly, care home manager at Harrier Grange, said: “We are so happy to have Freda with us at Harrier Grange. She has a wonderfully positive outlook on life and we are all very fond of her.

“Everybody at Harrier Grange would like to wish her a very happy 100th birthday.”