A Weyhill resident has celebrated her 101st birthday this week after a life of exploring the world.

Mary Duncan, a resident of Millway House care home, was born in 1920 in South Africa, and had a life since then where she travelled the world, while supporting a growing family.

She said: “I’ve had a lovely life and love being part of a big family. I’ve always liked the outdoor life – something that was second nature coming from South Africa – and enjoyed surfing and skiing well into my 80s. I even tobogganed until I was 83!”

In the year Mahatma Gandhi began his campaign for Indian independence, the League of Nations was established, and the flying squad was set up, Mary was born in Benoni, near Johannesburg. As a child, she came to the UK to attend school, where she was raised in Southampton.

She was brought up by her aunt, Nora, and Nora’s father-in-law Richard Andrews, who was a mayor of Southampton.

In the year of her birth, the German Workers Party remained itself the National Socialist, or Nazi, party, and following school, she joined the war effort as an officer in the Woman’s Air Force during World War II.

While serving, she met an officer in the Royal Marines called David Duncan, who she married in 1943. Together, they had two children while travelling the world, with Mary becoming a housewife after the war.

She now has seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, and later moved to Weyhill. At the home, she enjoys using an interactive table that helps promote communication and wellbeing amongst residents.

On her birthday, she was visited by her daughter, in her 70s, and her son-in-law, where they celebrated with cake. She credits her long life to exercise and fresh air.

Home manager Kay Jerrams said: “Mary is a lovely lady and extremely popular with everyone. She enjoys excellent health, and her favourite pastime is playing on our recently installed interactive table and going for walks in our gardens.”