A GREAT grandmother has celebrated her 101st birthday with a little help from her supermarket.

Staff at Tesco in Hindley surprised loyal customer Annie Harvey with a cake and flowers in honour of her landmark birthday.

Annie's son Norman takes her shopping at the Cross Street store every week and helped arrange the surprise.

He said: "My mum was the youngest of six children and they all lived in a two bedroom house with no water, no electric and no gas.

"I don't know how they managed it but they did and maybe my mum proves that it is the way to do it."

Annie, who lives in Hindley, spent her life working in the mills around Leigh and Atherton as a weaver and was married to Billy Harvey who sadly died in 1988.

She also has a daughter, Irene, six grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.

"The store manager Mandy Seddon asked when we would be coming in and said could they do something to celebrate her birthday and I thought why not," said Norman.

"I was a bit worried that she wouldn't be up for shopping that day and be angry that she hadn't dressed up so I had to tell her I was taking her out for lunch.

"My mum loves her family, she loves all the children and having them round which I think has helped her live to 101. We all like to have a joke that it is the sherry that she drinks.

"We tease her that she has a secret bottle of sherry somewhere that she takes sips from.

"She used to live on Liverpool Road and work at a factory up the road and she used to cycle up and down that hill up to 12 times a week which I think is something that has kept her going as well."

Annie also celebrated with a family lunch on her birthday which was on August 13.