A lifelong resident of north London is celebrating her 100th birthday.

Jean Hamilton, nee Laffeaty, was born August 30, 1917 in Park Road, Tottenham before moving to Hornsey and then to Aberdale Gardens in Potters Bar in 1970, where she remained until moving to Roseacres care home in Whetstone last year.

Mrs Hamilton worked at Lloyds of London Insurance for most of her life except for a brief stint for the London Bridge Canteen for the Services and fire watching during the Second World War.

Times Series: Jean as a young womanJean as a young woman

She cites Hawaii as her favourite place, having never been abroad until the age of 50 at which time she began a series of holidays, travelling all over the world.

Her nephew, Joe Lacey, who drove her around San Francisco on the back of a moped when he was 26 and she 65, said: "I have known her all sixty-one years of my life, and though we are completely opposed politically I have always warmly tolerated her insanity, and she mine."

Mrs Hamilton married Jamie in 1945 and they had one son, David, who worked as the Met's head of legal.