A GREAT grandmother who has turned 104 says although her vision, hearing and mobility is impaired, her brain is definitely not.

Alice Bamford, from Great Leighs, celebrated her birthday quietly with friends and family over several days.

Mrs Bamford, from School Lane, has lived in Great Leighs since 1943. She was born in Hertfordshire and was one of seven children.

She is now the only surviving member of her family and is the only one to live beyond a century.

In 1931 she met Walter at a friend's birthday party, whom, she married a few months later.

The couple bought a piece of land in Dobs Weir and built their first home and commercial nursery, growing cucumbers and tomatoes for the London market.

During the Second World War they moved with their son Robert to Great Leighs, where they built a commercial nursery growing tomatoes, cucumbers and bedding plants and eventually specialising in cress.

Chase Side Nurseries, a bridge on the Great Leighs by-pass, is named after it.

By the mid 1980s WH Bamford and Son was a national supplier of salad and their daughter Zola joined the company in 1980.

Walter sadly died in 1993 and although the business was sold in 1994 the family still own and live at the property.

Mrs Bamford, who celebrated her birthday on Wednesday, April 20, had tea and birthday cake with two of her great grand-daughters.

She also has a grandson, three great grand-sons and two grand-daughters, all of whom visit her regularly.

Her daughter Zola said: "Although her vision, hearing and mobility are now impaired her brain is not, and she has an excellent long term memory and is generally of good health.

"She continues to knit and often helps with answering clues in the daily papers cross word puzzle.

"Her brain is 110 per cent, they have given up giving her dementia tests as she passes all of them. She's as bright as a button and is lively from her armchair.

"Even in her twilight years, she remains a very strong woman, whom many consider to be quite a character."