A RESIDENT in a Carlisle care home has celebrated a milestone birthday.

Eunice Jean Watson (nee Burnip), known to all as Jean, reached her 100th birthday on Monday February 15.

Jean was born in 1921 in Chester-le-Street, County Durham. She had one sister, Dulcie.

Following the outbreak of World War Two in 1939, Jean served with the Royal Air Force throughout the war.

During her service, she met her husband, Richard, and the couple were married in 1941. They had one son, Gordon, whom Richard didn't meet until he was three years old as he was serving with the RAF in Belgium.

After the war, Jean, Richard and Gordon moved to Denton Holme in Carlisle, where they lived until 1948 when they relocated to Cotehill, just to the south of the city.

Richard worked as a plant foreman with British Gypsum for many years, while Jean stayed at home and raised Gordon.

Sadly, Richard passed away in 2001, just a month before the couple's 60th wedding anniversary.

In 2014, Jean was welcomed as a new resident to Barrock Court Care Home, just outside Carlisle, where her milestone birthday was marked with a party earlier this week.

A spokeswoman for the home said : "Jean has become a much loved resident ever since.

"We would all like to wish her a very happy birthday, and we hope she enjoyed her party."