A WOMAN who started working in the pits when she was only 13 celebrated her 104th birthday last Friday.

Born in Atherton on June 14, 1898, Frances Butler's amazing life has spanned three centuries and she is still going strong.

Mrs Butler, who has two daughters, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, has lived in the Atherton area all her life. She now resides at Manor Fold Residential Home.

Having started work at Pretoria Pit when she was only 13 and at the same time waitressing in a local pub, Mrs Butler puts her extraordinarily long life and good health down to a hard working life.

The special occasion was celebrated with a party tea shared with fellow Manor Fold residents, and she is looking forward to being taken out by her family on Sunday.

Pat Brown, activities co-ordinator at Manor Fold said: "Frances is brilliant. She joins in everything she can, she has even started playing giant dominoes. She has a fantastic memory and is always talking about the World Wars. She's very lively and lives life to the full, as I can imagine she always has done."

Birth year

In Mrs Butler's birth year Queen Victoria was on the throne, the Liberal Statesman William Ewart Gladstone died, H G Wells published The War of the Worlds and Marie Curie discovered the radioactive component radium.