A former shopkeeper and butcher has revealed her secret to a long life is always working hard.

Gwen Clifford, of Gillingham, is celebrating her 100th birthday today surrounded by her family and friends.

The youngest-of-six, she moved to Chatham in 1928 from Upton Park in London with her family and went to Glencoe Road School until the age of 14.

She then worked in her dad's butchers until 1962 and then in her local Sainsbury's.

In 1968, she worked alongside her husband Frank at F and G Clifford – a general store in Glencoe Road – until 1979.

Her grand-daughter Paula Buxton said: "Lots of people know her from there and that is how they used to get their shopping.

"She has always been very hard-working but people of that generation always are but she has kept up with the times."

After they gave up the store, the pair moved to the Darland area of Gillingham where Gwen still lives today.

Paula added: "She is very stubborn, she really does not want to move out of her house."

Frank and Gwen met when they were 16 while he was working at a butchers down the road from her dad's business.

They married in 1944 and had two daughters Margaret and Marilyn.

They used to go ballroom dancing and the grandmother-of-four still enjoyed exercise classes in later life.

Paula said: "She is always doing things for the family.

"The cousins would always go over for sleepovers, she was always cooking and is a great cook.

"She cannot do that now but she could really cook. She was a good seamstress and was always altering my clothes."

Talking to her family, Gwen said her secret to a long life is "hard work".

Paula said: "That is all she could tell us. To be fair she has worked hard most of her life, all the time she was able so who knows."