The son of a Carlisle lady who turned 100 at Cumberland Infirmary has shared her story.

Jeanie Johnstone celebrated her centenary year after suffering a fall at home. Nurses of the Infirmary helped light up the occasion with balloons positioned around her bed.

Discussing his mother, Bob Johnstone said: “She was born four years after the Great War at 34 Marks Avenue, she had three brothers, one of which is still alive, were also born in the house. After her parents passed away she took over the house and had four sons there! The woman next door, Anna Henderson, delivered every child on the street.

“During the Second World War, my mum was a bus conductor, and after marrying my father became a housewife. Later, she worked at Barclay’s bakery for around 15 years on Shady Grove Road at Raffles.

Jeanie also had an array of talents. Bob continued: “She played violin in an orchestra and toured around Carlisle with her father and two brothers in a quartet playing both the violin and piano. She’s a talented woman, she hadn’t played for 20-30 years and she decided to sit by the piano one day and off she went playing beautiful pieces in her seventies, she’s a remarkable woman.”

Discussing her time at the Infirmary, Bob said: “My wife managed to get to the Infirmary with her cards and was warned about catching Covid, however she was able to get gowned up and made her way to see my mum to wish her a happy birthday.

“She’s doing well after what she’s been through. In her seventies she had a stroke and an angina attack. She broke her hip when she was 88, has had pneumonia and MRSA and has got through the lot of it. My mum caught Covid in the hospital, she was already in after suffering a fall and unfortunately suffers from dementia, however she managed to get past the virus as well. She’s still resilient at such an age!”

Jeanie is set to be transferred to Cockermouth Community Hospital. Bob is hopeful that the family will get to celebrate with his mother as soon as restrictions are eased.