THE Wee County's latest centenarian celebrated her birthday in style last week.

Sauchie's Beechwood Park Nursing Home was buzzing with friends and guests when a huge 100th birthday party was thrown for resident Margaret Wilson Young on Wednesday, January 25.

She enjoyed hot drinks, eats and live accordion music. There was, of course, a massive cake too but finding candles for the delicious treat was no easy task.

Margaret, nee Wilson Cairns, was the first-born of parents William and Agnus at Crandra Row in Sauchie.

What was then a crowded mining house in poor conditions and with close to no sanitation later became home to her 13 younger brothers and sisters as well. Margaret said that people just had to make the best of what they had at the time and never thought about it. All her siblings have since passed away.

Their father, William, was away in the war with the Royal Scots when Margaret arrived to the world and later worked as a general labourer.

The family was eventually rehoused to East Castle Street with Margaret attending Sauchie Primary School as a youngster.

Her first job was brining her siblings up from when she was around 14; being the oldest she had to take the motherly role over when Agnus died at a young age.

Getting paid for the first time, she worked in service but did not live in the household. When she was in her 30s, she took a job at the old Paton's Mill as a yarn scourer – washing the raw fibres with soap before they moved onto the next stage.

Following her stint at the manufacturer's, she moved on to work for Clackmannanshire Council's Home Help Service, where she stayed until retirement age.

The centenarian then worked part time as a cleaner into her early 70s.

Margaret was an avid reader from an early age and was a member of her local libraries right into her late 90s.

She also had a love for bingo – a hobby that led to her meeting husband Robert Young at Stirling Bingo Hall.

They got married in 1963 when Margaret was 46 and moved to Engelen Drive in Alloa. They never had their own children and had been married for 45 years, until Bob passed away nine years ago.

The 100-year-old was also a keen knitter, making clothing for herself and Bob as well as baby cardigans and hats which went to third world countries through charity shops.

Margaret enjoyed a daily swim too, visiting the local pool right into her 80s.

Travelling and going on holidays was often on the agenda as well, she liked visiting Blackpool and going abroad, sometimes twice a year.