Woman dies on 100th birthday

Marion Fox died before reading her congratulations from the Queen

A great-grandmother has died on her 100th birthday - just an hour before congratulations arrived from the Queen.

Widow Marion Fox died at her care home with her family gathered around her bedside before the traditional Royal greeting for centenarians had been delivered.

Mrs Fox's eldest daughter Betty Jones, from Buckley, said her mother had been looking forward to getting the birthday message - but it was not to be.

"It's nice to think that she had her card from the Queen - but sad to think she hadn't seen it herself.

The mother-of-eight died at 0700GMT on her birthday on 18 December and the royal congratulations arrived with the post an hour later.

"She was a very strong lady, very determined and fixed in her ways," said Mrs Jones.

Workhouse

"My mother had eight children and we were her life."

Mrs Fox, who had 18 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren, left school at 14 and went to work at Ruthin Grammar School.

She then went to work at a psychiatric hospital in Chester where she met her husband.

The pair married and moved to Somerset where they had jobs in a workhouse.

A birthday party had been planned for Mrs Fox at the Phoenix House home where she lived in Sandycroft, Deeside, and where staff remembered her as a "real character".

"Her children had come from all over the country for her birthday and we were all with her the afternoon before she died," said Mrs Jones.

The family will now keep the telegram as a permanent reminder of their mother.