A FORMER civil servant and Sunday school teacher has celebrated her 100th birthday.

Gladys Nursaw, who lives at St Ives Nursing Home in The Drive, Chingford, was surrounded by her family and well wishers, including her church friends.

During the 1960s and 1970s she taught at Chingford United Reformed Church, on Buxton Road.

Her son, David Nursaw, 66, of Littleton Avenue, Chingford, said: “She doesn't often get to see her old church friends so this is very good for her.

“I think it is remarkable she is here considering she was in hospital a year ago.

“She has bounced back.”

Born and bred in Clapton, she was a member of the Round Chapel Church, Powerscroft Road, where she met her future husband Albert Nursaw.

A year after their wedding in 1935, they moved to Mornington Road in Chingford.

She worked for the treasury in Whitehall, but during the war the couple were evacuated to Bristol with their first son, Bob, after their home was bombed.

During this period, Mr Nursaw worked for the Admiralty in Bath, a government agency that managed the Navy.

As the war drew to an end, the family returned to Chingford, where their second son, David Nursaw, was born, and while Gladys carried on looking after the home, Albert went back to his job in marine insurance.

In the 50s they moved home to Warren Pond Road in Chingford.

David Nursaw added: “Although she has now lost all her hearing, she still has her intelligence and is very much aware of everything around her.

“We are very proud of her.”

She also has two grand daughters and three great grandchildren.