SUMMERSEAT’s oldest resident has celebrated her 100th birthday.

Mary Deegan was born in the village in 1918 and has lived and worked there all her life.

She grew up in Queens Place, a short distance from her current home in Castle Street, and attended Rowlands Methodist School, now Summerseat Methodist Primary School.

After finishing school, Mrs Deegan worked at the old Joseph Hoyle and Sons weaving mill in the village. She left in the late 1960s, and returned to her former school to work in the kitchen until retiring.

Mrs Deegan married her husband Daniel at St Joseph’s Church in Peter Street, in Bury, in 1939.

Together, they had three children - Christine, now aged 75, Les, aged 69, and Martin, aged 59. She now has eight great grandchildren and seven grandchildren.

Mrs Deegan continued to live in Summerseat after her husband died in 1982.

Of her life in the village, she said: “I like the people here, they are lovely. I have seen a lot of changes. We had our own shops so we did not have to go out of the village.”

Mrs Deegan celebrated turning 100 on Friday before family members threw a party for her at Greenmount Golf Club on Saturday night with about 70 people in attendance.

Summerseat Village Community group have also honoured her by planting a weeping cherry tree in Railway Street.