Betty, of The Broadway, Minster, gathered together numerous cuttings of her family and friends and made a collage in the form of a This Is Your Life book.

The record shows Betty as a member of the Co-op junior choir in the early 1950s, as a stunning contestant taking part in a Co-op beauty contest and her retirement as secretary from Halfway Primary School in 2001.

It has a picture of husband Peter, aged 10, when he suffered a broken thigh in an accident at Sheerness swimming pool, and also features their 1961 wedding, when she had six bridesmaids.

The 67-year-old said: " You invited readers to comment on what part the paper had played in our lives through the generations.

"After rummaging in my old photos and news cuttings, I wasn't really surprised that the Sheerness Times Guardian has played a huge part in my life and the lives of my family and friends."

Betty heaped special praise on Bel Austin's Memory Lane page.

"It is somehow comforting to be reminded of bygone days on Sheppey, both the faces and places."

Over the years, the Times Guardian also helped Betty find at least four jobs through its recruitment pages.

She added: "I have enjoyed reading about the achievements of my friends and other local people and it has given me a sense of pride to see myself and members of my family featured.

"These articles have in turn been shared with friends and family, far and wide."

Betty's album is now taking pride of place in the Times Guardian office.