Northamptonshire woman believed to be one of the oldest people in the UK celebrates landmark 110th birthday

Joyce celebrates her 110th birthday after receiving a telegram from The Queen.

A Northamptonshire woman who is believed to be the oldest person in the county and one of the oldest people in the UK has turned 110.

Joyce Wooding was born in Staverton, near Daventry, on September 6, 1911, to a farming family where she lived with her mum, dad, two brothers and sister, before she trained in London as a Norland nanny.

She later returned to Northampton and married Leslie Wooding who had an overall manufacturing business and shop where Joyce worked.

Joyce in her younger days around the time she trained as a nanny.

The couple lived in Wootton before Joyce moved to Collingtree Park Care Home in 2018 at the age of 106.

The now 110-year-old is still in contact with some of the children she cared for when she worked as a nanny.

Joyce said: “I never ever imagined turning 110.”

She credits such a long life to having wonderful parents and a 'wonderful' upbringing, with fresh, home cooked food.

The birthday girl also wanted to thank everyone for all the well wishes after a garden party celebration was held at the care home to mark the occasion.

Among loved ones attending were Joyce’s good friends Lilian and Eddie who had travelled all the way from Preston on the train, her niece Susan who travelled from Scotland, friends from the village - Maureen and Trevor - and nephew Ian, who all wanted to help share her special day.

Joyce received a special telegram from The Queen to mark her landmark birthday and enjoyed a champagne reception and a cake made by the home’s chef Julie Collingwood.

Natalie Norman, general manager of Barchester Collingtree Park added: “We’re delighted to be celebrating a truly remarkable lady as she reaches this amazing milestone.

“Joyce is such a popular resident who always has an interesting tale to tell, and we look forward to hearing many more.”

It is believed that Joyce is the oldest person in Northamptonshire and the eleventh oldest in the UK. The oldest is 112 - nearly 113.

Joyce also made headlines earlier in the year when she received her first Covid-19 vaccine, which she described as ‘the first step in getting things back to normal’. She also said at the time that she missed her friends and she could not wait for them to be able to visit her again.