A SENSATIONAL centenarian who is a super 101 not out has just celebrated her special birthday in style with friends and family in Port Glasgow.

Mamie Rankin was showered with warm good wishes and received a resounding rendition of 'Happy Birthday' at a party held in her honour at Newark Care Home on Monday.

And she had plenty of puff with which to blow out the candles on her cake with gusto before guests and fellow residents enjoyed an afternoon of music and laughter together.

Mamie's niece, Lesley Fairlie, told how her awesome auntie's life has involved service to her country in the Women's Royal Air Force, a career in the newspaper industry and friendships forged through football.

Lesley, 70, told the Tele: "She was in the WRAF from the age of 21 to 24 and was a leading aircraft woman stationed, believe it or not, at the Battery Park.

"She also had time in the WRAF at Leuchars and Nairn.

"My aunt started her working life with the Scottish Daily Express at the age of 18 and was the financial manager's secretary before leaving to join the WRAF during the war and then returning to the paper."

Mamie, who never married, lived with her mother, Jean, who took in young Rangers players as lodgers at her home in Drumoyne, Glasgow — one of whom went on to become a government minister in his native Iceland.

Albert Guðmundsson also played football for Arsenal, FC Nancy and AC Milan before turning to politics and once running for the presidency of his country in 1980.

Mamie — who has an extended family of many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews — lived independently into her 90s before moving into care only a few years ago.

Niece Lesley said: "I think she'll go on and on — I don't think she'll ever give up.

"She always had her wits about her but over the last couple of years no family could visit and she only had her care home family.

"She actually had Covid, but thankfully no symptoms."

Asked what Mamie's secret to such a long life might be, Lesley, who attended the party with her husband, Ralph, joked: "She never smoked, she never drank and she never got married, so I think that says a lot!

"Oh, and she has porridge for breakfast every morning."