A KIND great grandmother who married a veteran responsible for training Second World War messenger pigeons celebrated her landmark 100th birthday surrounded by her family.

Irene Barker, who has a remarkable six grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, four great great grandchildren and two foster great grandchildren, enjoyed a party at Spring Lodge Nursing Home, in Clacton.

She was delighted to receive a birthday card from the Queen and a telegram from work and pensions secretary MP Amber Rudd.

Irene grew up in Prosped Road, Woodford Green, while her father served as a police officer in the Met.

She was only 15 years old when her mother died.

Son Michael, from Clacton, said: “She brought us up as what you would call a normal family.

“Her mum died when Irene was very young and she brought up her brothers.

“She took on a lot of responsibility at a young age.

“One of the stories she tells us is about her brother George, he was born in 1910 and she was born in 1919 - but he used to send her up the road to buy him sweets.

“In those days people my mother’s age never worked, they brought up the children.”

Her husband John served in the Royal Corps of Signals and was billited with pigeon supply officer Herbert Keys in Ipswich.

His job was to track down and train pigeons to carry messages ahead of the Second World War.

“He used to go round all the bird fanciers in Ipswich picking up these birds and training them,” said Michael.

“He was also a pretty good footballer, the captain of the football team, so he was told he wasn’t being shipped off abroad. He never knew one end of a rifle from the other.

“He handled William of Orange, the famous pigeon which was awarded the Dickin Medal for delivering a crucial message.”

Irene, Michael and his sister Carole were evacuated during the war to St Neots, in Hutingdonshire.

After John was demobilised, he was gifted half a dozen pigeons by Mr Keys, starting a father and son business breeding and racing pigeons.

She enjoyed spells of employment at WH Smith, in Grange Hill, Chigwell, and as a playground assistant at Ray Lodge School, in Woodford Green.

She settled at Spring Lodge six years ago to be closer to her son and daughter-in-law, who moved to Clacton 12 years ago.

Son Michael said: “She has grandchildren and great grandchildren here today, she is adored and loved by all her family.”