Sunderland pensioner celebrates 103rd birthday

Family and friends gathered to celebrate the big day of Peggy McMann and to help blow out the candles on her cake.

The pensioner, who lives in the Willow Brook apartments in Washington, was eager to enjoy the day.

Born in Castletown, Peggy, moved to Washington when she married her late husband, Joe, who used to ride a horse and cart when he went to meet his sweetheart.

Sadly, Joe died 23 years ago, but Peggy is still surrounded by a large group of family and friends.

The couple had eight children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, many who joined her for the celebrations at Willow Brook in Spout Lane.

Unfortunately, two of Peggy’s children, Dennis and Anne, have died in recent years, and two, Liz and Teresa, live in Spain and couldn’t make the party.

However, daughters, Brenda Macklin, 79, and Kathleen Smith, 71, were there, along with sons, Peter McMann, 64, and Joe McMann, 68.

Kathleen, said: “Everyone says she has got to such a good age because of her cooked breakfasts. Every morning she has to start the day with a cooked breakfast.”

Despite her age, Peggy, who worked as a dinner lady at Washington School, which is next door to the apartments where she now lives, is still bright, and said: “I’m having a lovely day.”

Brenda, added: “She is great for her age, I knew she would get to 100 and now I’m sure she will get to 105.”

Peggy was one of three sisters, one of them, Anne Pratt, is a former Mayor of Sunderland, but at 97-years-old herself she was too frail to go to the party.

Lorraine Adams, manager at Willow Brook, said Peggy moved there in February 2017 and soon settled in.

She said: “She is very popular and she keeps us on our toes. Her sense of humour makes everyone smile.”