A GREAT-grandmother who risked her life during the Second World War is about to celebrate her 100th birthday.

Molly Higginbotham, who will turn 100 tomorrow (Thursday), worked on a telephone switchboard at a Hawker’s aircraft factory, in Surrey, during the war.

The factory was bombed on September 13, 1942, putting its telephones out of action, and Molly had been the one to save the day.

Her son, John, said: “One of the directors told mum that he had to have a line switched through to his office to keep the factory operational and someone had to go back into the building to do it. There was an unexploded bomb there, which could go off at any time.”

Ignoring her mother’s advice, Molly ran back into the building to flick a switch and restore the phone lines.

“The staff and directors were all indebted to mum that day and she still has a memento signed by them all,” added John.

Molly later relocated to Andover in 1966 after her pilot husband, George, had been posted nearby.

The couple wed in 1948 and had three children: John and twins Jane and Mary. Today Molly has six grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Molly and George lived on a house overlooking Andover golf course and would often host fundraising events, serving their ‘potent’ homemade beer.

George passed away in 1994 after contracting Alzheimer’s, but Molly had been there to nurse him from beginning to end over almost six years.

John says it was a struggle for Molly but she is made of ‘stern stuff’ and has always maintained her positivity.

“She has never had a day’s illness in her life, and is one of the most positive people I know. I think it is that that sustains her — plus a few glasses of sherry every day.

“As she puts it, ‘it’s never too early dear, the sun has always gone down somewhere in the world.’”