A NURSE who treated patients during the war has hailed staying active as the reason for reaching her 100th birthday.

Edna Baines, who has lived at Haven Residential Care Home in Hatch End since June 2013, celebrated the milestone birthday on Wednesday, October 28 surrounded by residents, friends and loved ones.

When asked her secret to reaching such a wonderful age, Edna said: “Not really a secret but throughout my life I’ve always been active and self-sufficient and I think that’s really helped.

“I feel really grateful and privileged. Over the last 100 years I’ve always had enough money to pay the bills and enjoy treats like holidays – so I have no complaints whatsoever and am so pleased to still be here.”

Following in her mother’s footsteps, Edna trained as a nurse after leaving school and became a ward sister at the age of 22 at her nearby hospital Leigh Infirmary, near Manchester.

The hospital later became the place where she also found love, meeting her husband-to-be James Baines while he worked as a volunteer delivering papers and magazines to the ward.

The pair got married in 1937 while living in Walkden, Lancashire, but two years later James and Edna decided to move across the country for James’ career.

They lived in a number of places including Walsall, Ipswich, Bengeo and Bolton before settling in Chorleywood in 1997.

During World War II, while living in Birmingham James was working in the fire service and was badly injured, resulting him needing hospital treatment.

Edna said: “The bombing of Birmingham will always be a significant moment of my life. It was a scary time and when James was injured it was heartbreaking but we pulled through together.”

During their many travels Edna and James also found time to start a family and had two boys – Robert, 77, who has relocated to Selby in North Yorkshire and John, 72, who still lives in Chorleywood.

A few decades after starting a family, once Robert and John had left home, Edna decide to focus on her career again and became a theatre nurse.

Edna said: “I always loved nursing.”

Looking back over the last 100 years Edna added: “I am lucky to have had so many special moments in my life, there are too many to list.”

The centenarian’s family has now blossomed to four generations and she is the proud grandmother to Helen Hughes, David Baines, Joanna Baines, Justin Baines and Nancy Baines, as well as a great-grandmother to eight.