A love of swimming and loquats were credited as the secrets to a long life as a woman celebrated her 105th birthday.

Myrtle Edness notched up the milestone on Wednesday and said that fresh fruit and regular dips in the sea had kept her healthy.

Ms Edness added that her hobbies include reading, doing puzzles and church.

She said that she gave up swimming only last year. Ms Edness was born on Ord Road in Paget, in 1914, just before the First World War broke out, and later moved to Mangrove Bay in Somerset, before her family settled in Warwick.

She attended Paget Glebe school from the age of 9 and Ms Edness said her interest in world affairs was sparked by headteacher Adele Tucker, who read newspaper articles to the children every morning.

Ms Edness added: “Before that I did not concern myself with anything except climbing trees to collect loquats and cherries and other tasty berries. Maybe that’s why I have lived so long and managed so far to stay healthy.”

Ms Edness later worked at The Recorder newspaper, where she set type, delivered advertising proofs and cycled around the island to collect money owed to the newspaper.

Myrtle DeShield married the late Arnold Edness, a carpenter, in 1944 and the couple built their own home on Billy Goat Hill in Warwick and had two children, Alan, who was lost at sea in 2003, and Maureen.

Ms Edness later operated the AJ Edness grocery store in the parish for 29 years until she retired in 1978.

Her birthday was marked by David Burt, the Premier, who visited her on Wednesday with area MP Lawrence Scott and presented her with a bunch of flowers and gifts.

Mr Burt said: “I was delighted to spend some time with Mrs Edness and her family yesterday as she celebrated her 105th birthday. This is a true milestone and I wish her many more beautiful days to come.”