Little sister's birthday party (From Stroud News and Journal)

Little sister's birthday party

HILDA Braznell was looking forward to her little sister's birthday last weekend.

For the 'youngster' in the family of six, Betty Tombs was celebrating her 80th year.

And her octogenarian brother and four sisters all helped her toast a long and happy future at a party at their family farm on Sunday.

The siblings are thought to be the oldest living family in the Stroud area.

Hilda 86, who lives with her nonagenarian husband Gerald in Nailsworth, said the secret to their longevity was a healthy country life.

She said: "We have all been very sensible and have had a good life in the countryside. "None of us have gone abroad very much.

"We grew up on the farm.

"We had to share everything. "Money was short but we had a good father and mother."

Hilda's mother came from Holdings Farm, Stonehouse.

When she married, she moved to live with her husband on Hadon's Farm, north of Cheltenham.

Hilda's younger siblings are, in order: Florence, Margaret, George, who still lives on the family farm, Doris and Betty.

One sister lives in Bisley and the rest are in Stonehouse. Before his death, Margaret's husband was vicar of Hadon.

Another key to family success, said Hilda, is their shared sense of humour. She said: "We all have a send of fun and we laugh a lot.

"We love each other."