WITH a combined age of 311, it's not surprising that Hilda Greening and her two siblings have been labelled the Duracell sisters.
Mrs Greening yesterday celebrated her 108th birthday at The Grange nursing home in Northway, Tewkesbury. One of her sisters, Eugenie Underwood, is 105 and lives in Dorset, while the other, Mary Hunt, is 98 and lives in Twyning.
The trio are thought to be the oldest siblings, in terms of collective age, in the UK and a national newspaper article last year referred to them as "the Duracell sisters" because of their long life.
Mrs Greening is believed to be Gloucestershire's oldest resident and has been at The Grange for three years. Before that, she spent virtually her whole life in Winchcombe.
After receiving cards and visits from family members yesterday, she said: "We all three have lived a long life."
Asked if she knew what the secret behind that was, she said: "I've no idea. I've just lived from day to day."
Although her senses are obviously not what they once were, the remarkable Mrs Greening coped admirably with the string of well-wishers calling in to see her.
Boasting a good memory, she recalled how she was once told off by her father. "When I was two, I went into our next door neighbour's garden.
"I quite fancied some tomatoes there so I took some.
"My dad told me off. He was mad and gave me a smack."
So much has changed in her lifetime and she remembered when it was "quite something" to have a radio, never mind a television.
She also recalled the time when people used a horse and cart, rather than a car.
Mrs Greening's husband, Cyril, died 30 years ago, but four of their five children are still alive and she also has 14 grandchildren.
