PEGGY Bessant turned 100 this week, but you wouldn't know it.

The feisty Burnham-on-Sea resident is set to celebrate her birthday on Tuesday (November 21) at a party with friends and says she believes the secret to long life is 'keeping her mind active.'

"I have always enjoyed writing and drawing.

"When I was a girl I would sit out on the front porch and write poems and stories and I still do it at home now, it keeps my mind active," Peggy said.

Peggy was born in Fontwell Magna in Dorset in 1917, she was one of five children and her father was a cheesemaker at a nearby dairy.

"I left school at 16, I wanted to be a nurse but I couldn't do it until I was 18.

"I saw an advert asking for help to take care of two children and I applied for the job.

"A week later I was living in the home of a semi-retired admiral, the children were lovely, I always loved children so it suited me well," Peggy said.

The experience Peggy gained helped her when the Second World War struck in 1939 and she got herself a job at a children's hospital in Sherbourne, where she worked for four years.

"I wanted to join the Wrens after the war started but they wouldn't let me join, they said I was too small.

"I had experience of working with children and so getting a job at the hospital was great, I helped care for children who were injured during the war, it was like I was a nurse even though I wasn't qualified," Peggy said.

"I remember one day I heard a bomb had landed at Exeter Hospital where my brother worked, I got on a train to see if I could find out if he was okay and when I got off I bumped into one of his friends.

"He told me he was safe, it was such a relief," Peggy said.

Peggy moved to Burnham 23 years ago and has been an active member of the town's U3A for the last 15 years.

One of Peggy's friends, Annette Moore, met her at the group and said she continues to be an active member.

She has two sons, four grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

"Peggy still writes and still enjoys doing artwork, she still comes to U3A meetings and does her best to take part, even though her health isn't the best.

"She is always so positive about life and I think that has really carried her through to live to 100," Annette said.