A woman celebrated her 100th birthday yesterday after “bouncing back” from a spell of ill health.

Ida Lodge was the guest of honour at a party at the Sylvia Richardson care home attended by family and friends.

Ms Lodge’s only daughter, 69-year-old Bernette Cann, said that her mother had been released from the hospital just three weeks ago after suffering from illness for more than a month.

Ms Cann, from St George’s, explained: “If you would have seen her in the hospital you would have said ‘oh man, she’s not going to make it’, but she just bounced back.

“I think the love and the care that she gets from the staff here helped her to push forward.”

Ms Cann was convinced that her mother would hit 100.

She said: “She’s as strong as steel and made of rubber, because she always bounces back.”

Ms Lodge, who lived in St George’s, was the oldest of seven children born to Gladys-Louise and James Thompson.

She has outlived all her brothers and sisters except her youngest brother, John.

Edna-May Phipps, a volunteer at the Sylvia Richardson home, said that Ms Lodge was popular at the rest home for her wit and energy.

She added: “She always has a good sense of humour and always keeps us in line.

“She’s gotten a bit more frail lately, but prior to that she was always on her toes, mentally speaking.”

Dennis Lodge, Ms Lodge’s oldest son, said that he has always remembered his mother for her warmth.

The 77-year-old said: “My mother showed a lot of compassion of us as kids and, more than anything, she was very protective of us.”

Walter Roban, the Deputy Premier, also paid a call on Ms Lodge to wish her a happy birthday.