AFTER living through not one but two world wars to the amazing age of 106 – it’s the simple things in life that give Joyce Coates the most comfort.

On Thursday Joyce - one of the country’s oldest residents - celebrated her birthday with family and friends at the Regency Care Home in Stonehouse.

A letter from the Queen sat on the windowsill as the family tucked into cake and reminisced about Joyce’s long life.

And having lived in Stonehouse since she was born in 1910, she’s certainly seen some huge changes in the town over the years.

Her nieces Jill Middleton and Jackie Williams described her as a warm and much-loved figure in the community.

Jackie said: “Joyce was born in Stonehouse and lived here all her life. She’s known and loved by many in the town. She loves it here and never wanted to move away.

“She ran the hairdressers salon called Annettes on the High Street for many years. She is a great character and always has a smile on her face.

“Now she enjoys the simple things in life; food, cats, the sunshine. She always has marmalade on toast every morning and tea with lots of sugar.

“This is actually the third letter she’s got from the Queen. She got one when she turned 100 and another last year when she turned 105.

“She said to me a few years ago that the Queen is a youngster compared to her –and she’s not wrong.”

One of two children, Joyce’s father owned a cobblers shop in front of the home in the High Street and made and mended shoes for a living.

She married her sweetheart Len, a farmer in Stonehouse, and the couple bought their own place, next door to Joyce’s parents’ home.

Len passed away some 30 years ago and the couple never had children but were happily married for many years.

She has lived at the home for the last eight years and always got on well with the dedicated staff there.