British Heart Foundation volunteer Lou Hovell celebrates 100th birthday with party in Abbeygate Street shop

A day ahead of her 100th birthday, Lou Hovell, who is described as a 'legend' by her colleagues, celebrated with a party in the shop where she still volunteers.

Lou, a well known character in Bury St Edmunds who once switched on the town's Christmas lights, has volunteered in the British Heart Foundation (BHF) store in Abbeygate Street for 27 years.

When asked if she would mind having her photograph taken for the Bury Free Press she joked: "I suppose the news is all over Bury now anyway, I am not going to be able to go on the bus without people recognising me."

Lou's colleagues at the BHF shop said when she signed up as a volunteer she initially 'knocked a few years off her age'.

The centenarian, who now works on the shop floor on a Saturday, said she started volunteering there in 1995 after she was encouraged by a friend who was a fan of charity stores.

All these years later Lou said she feels 'lucky' to have had '27 years of working in a lovely shop'.

Proudly holding her card from King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla, Lou said: "It was a surprise to get a card from the King, I have had some lovely cards and the ones from the people at the shop are just as nice.

"It is fantastic to have a party at the shop and I am going to have another lovely birthday party on Saturday too."

Lou, who was born in 1922, is in the unique position of being someone who has lived under the rule of five different monarchs - if you include King Edward VIII who abdicated in 1936.

Growing up in foster care in Middlesbrough, Lou's son-in-law Mick Dodd said she never really had a birthday party as a child, which made the event at the shop even more exciting for her.

Mick said: "Lou has always been enthusiastic about coming to the shop and she has made a lot of friends over the years."

Edith Hitchcock, who has been manager at the BHF shop for the last six years, has great memories of working with Lou - including teaching her how to use a tablet.

Describing her volunteer, who has no plans of giving up her role, Edith said: "Lou is very popular and loves to chat to everyone, we are lucky to have her."

Born in 1922, Lou moved to Suffolk in 1945 after meeting her husband Leonard, during her time in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force.

Lou and Leonard went on to have two children, Jerry who has passed away, and daughter Jane Dodd.

Since Leonard died in 1982, Lou who lives on her own, has been fiercely independent, and recently flew alone to Germany to visit Jerry's son Roger.

On her birthday, Lou, who lives in Bury St Edmunds, will be taken out for a meal by Jane, Mick and Roger who has flown over for the celebrations.

Then on Saturday she will have a party thrown at Jane and Mick's house and is looking forward to seeing her other grandsons Jamie and Dominic.