Vera Ashby of Redwood Gardens in Bury St Edmunds, who worked in the Women’s Land Army during World War Two, turns 100

An ex-member of the Women’s Land Army has celebrated her hundredth birthday, with a surprise (fake) visit from King Charles himself.

Vera Ashby, of Redwood Gardens in Bury St Edmunds, reached the huge hundred-year milestone on Wednesday, June 21.

She was thrilled to receive her letter from King Charles and Queen Camilla, and her smile widened when her grandson walked in to her family party with a King Charles mask on.

“Ooh, I say, Charlie!” she exclaimed, before asking her daughter-in-law who it actually was.

This daughter-in-law, Alison Ashby, told SuffolkNews: “The celebrations were wonderful. She actually had two, just like the King.

“One was with the others at Redwood Gardens, and the other saw 40 family members visit her for a party, including her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

“She had a really lovely time, and laughed her head off when my son came through the door with a King Charles mask on.”

Vera was born in Surrey, as the middle child of three girls. She moved to Suffolk to work in the Land Army during World War Two.

She met her husband in Suffolk, and brought up their two girls and one boy – Alison’s husband – in Severn Road, Bury St Edmunds.

Having stayed in Severn Road after her husband died more than 45 years ago, Vera moved to sheltered accommodation in Redwood Estate 15 years ago.

She took up many jobs during her working life, including on fruit farms, at an electricals company and at Marks and Spencer.

Despite being partially blind and deaf, Vera now knits clothes for a special care baby unit.

Alison continued: “She does not have any carers whatsoever.

“In fact, when she had carers for a couple of weeks, they stopped coming because – they said – she was ‘too independent’.

“She is very cheeky. Even when she’s been unwell, she has cracked jokes and made the ambulance crew laugh.”

Just like her grandson, Vera is a bit of a prankster. In fact, when Alison went on her first holiday with the family after meeting Vera’s son, now Alison’s husband, this prankster put an old man mask on a ball in Alison’s bed – and waited for the scream.