PHYLLIS Brown is aged 106 but she still possesses a sharp mind, continues to do crossword puzzles and takes an interest in current affairs in her daily newspaper.

Friends gathered to wish her a happy birthday on Monday when she was joined by the Mayor and Mayoress of Test Valley, Brian and Dorothy Page who presented her with a specially made birthday card to sit alongside the one from the Queen.

Mayoress Dorothy Page, said: "They didn't have a card which said 106th birthday so I requested the numbers 10 and six and made my own!"

Also joining the party were her former neighbours from Farrs Avenue in Andover where Phyllis lived for years before moving to her current home in Weyhill.

Sylvia Gee, who has known Phyllis for many years, said: "She has always had a very active mind and still likes to discuss and debate issues."

Phyllis was born in Monmouthshire in South Wales in 1902 and can recall babysitting the infant politician Roy Jenkins before she worked as a teacher in the 1920s.

By the time she arrived in Andover she had built a career with Marks and Spencer retiring from her job in 1962 - but since then she has continued to be as busy as ever.

At one time she was the former Cricklade College's oldest student learning new skills including painting and pottery.