A KEEN walker who has spent all her life in Darwen will celebrate her 100th birthday with a tea party on Friday.

Ida Marsden was born in her Greenfield Street home and has spent all her life there.

Her parents Mary and Thomas Marsden had four other children who have all died.

Niece Barbara Cross flew over from Australia last week to celebrate her aunt's birthday.

She said: "One of Ida's favourite sayings is 'you'll have to shoot me' and it's true. She has a strength of character that just isn't around these days and she's still going strong."

Ida, who never married and was educated at Culvert School, now St Barnabas, enjoyed taking long walks in Darwen and Tockholes.

Barbara said: "She loves children even though she has none of her own and she took long walks right up until she was in her 90s. Until recently she would walk from her house to Darwen and get the bus back and she's just incredible."

Ida worked as a weaver in Greenfield Mill for most of her life until she suffered a brain haemorrhage in the 1940s.

Barbara said: "Most people wouldn't have survived."