A great-grandmother who goes hill walking three times a week and reads a newspaper without the need for glasses has
celebrated her 105th birthday.

Mary Martin, of Gwyneth Morley Court, Handforth, celebrated on January 14.

Fiercely independent, she says she has no need for a carer and goes walking ‘for at least a mile’ three times a week in the hills around Pott Shrigley.

She said: “I live in a small flat, someone comes in once a week to help with the cleaning and I think that’s enough, don’t you?

“I don’t need anything else.”

Susan Heyes, scheme manager at Gwyneth Morley Court, said: “She’s our oldest resident but she doesn’t need any care.

“She still goes out, she comes to all of our social activities, stays until the end and has a couple of glasses of wine. On New Year’s Eve she was up until after 1am!”

More than 40 people attended her birthday celebrations on January 14, and joined Mary for cake and a glass of her favourite tipple, sherry.

Mary, who was born in Shrewsbury, was married to Stanley in 1938.

They moved to Caldy Road in Handforth in the mid-1960s and remained there together until Stanley died 20 years ago.

Mary then moved to Gwyneth Morely Court, on Church Street, when she was 100.

But it wasn’t the first time Mary had come to the area, after being evacuated to Macclesfield from the East End of London for a fortnight during the blitz.

She was also one of the first people in the world to undergo pioneering surgery for the hereditary
ear condition Ostosclerosis.

Unfortunately it was unsuccessful and she has been deaf since the age of 30, but that didn’t stop her being a successful shorthand typist, a skill she is still proficient in.

Mary is mum to Ann and Chris, and has three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Despite saying that she feels ‘about 205’, Mary is showing no signs of stopping yet.

Her son Chris, 75, said: “She still enjoys a drop of sherry and keeping active. Her sister lived to be 104 so she’s got genetics in her favour!”