A great, great grandmother from Stirling has celebrated her 110th birthday.

Lucy d'Abreu lived through the reign of five monarchs, three wars, the turn of two centuries and almost every major discovery of the modern world.

Mrs d'Abreu was given the middle name Victoria after the reigning monarch when she was born.

She attributed her long life to "my customary sun-downer of brandy and dry ginger ale".

Lucy d'Abreu: "God Bless you all"

Born in India in 1892, she lived most of her life in County Wexford, Ireland, where her husband, who was a cousin by marriage to the Queen Mother, established a surgical practice.

Cora Pollock, Mrs d'Abreu's daughter, said: "When there were no longer servants, she just set to and she would 'scuffle' as we'd call it, hoe the gravel."

Helen Grant, care home manager, said Mrs d'Abreu would always ask staff to keep safe as they made their way home.

'Working women'

She said the 110-year-old worried about staff getting home and would often ask them to keep safe.

"She is very interested in our lives and to make sure we are okay. Not terribly approving of working women, it has to be said.

"Underneath it all Lucy thinks there's a better place for women to be than out at work every day."

Commenting on her longevity Mrs d'Abreu said: "God alone knows why I have been given such long life, I have done nothing useful.

"Thank all of you and God Bless you!"