A SURPRISE birthday party was thrown for a remarkable 100 year old lady by members of the United Welsh church in Llandudno.

Members of the church organised the surprise, during one of their coffee mornings, for Eirlys Cobley,of Tan y Fron, Llandudno.

A friend said: “Eirlys is a remarkable, active lady who was still driving a car at the age of 98. She still goes to church every Sunday, although a 92 year old friend drives her now.

Eirlys originally comes from Penmaenmawr, and trained at the Normal College Bangor as a teacher. She taught at schools in Liverpool, before moving to Deganwy. But when the World War 2 broke out the whole school was evacuated to Bethesda, and Eirlys taught her pupils there.

Her husband was posted to Felinheli (the Faenol Estate) and later to Malta. At the end of the War he was posted to Northamptonshire and Eirlys moved also and taught at schools in the county until she retired in 1979 at the age of 60. Then the family moved to Deganwy.

Eirlys has a son, David and a daughter Ann, five grandchildren and two great grand children

Apart from regularly attending all church activities she is a member of Llandudno Junction branch of Merched y Wawr, which is a voluntary, organisation for women in Wales, similar to the Women's Institute, but its activities are conducted through the medium of Welsh. Eiryl still helps with groups of Welsh learners.