NO smoking, no drinking and no men are the secrets to a long life, according to a Leytonstone woman who has reached her 100th birthday.

But Edith Roper, of Clifton House, Beachcroft Road, who never married, welcomed then Mayor Farooq Qureshi to her birthday party.

And she said afterwards that his visit was the highlight of her landmark day.

She said: "He was lovely. He sat down beside me and talked to me as if he had known me all my life."

Miss Roper has lived in Leytonstone all her life, and was born in Newcomen Road in 1907.

Her family were devout Methodists. Her mother performed at a concert in Leytonstone Methodist Church on the day before Miss Roper was born, May 19, 1907.

When she was just one week old, her aunt whisked her off to the same church and she has been going ever since. She is now the oldest member of the congregation and also the longest-serving.

Miss Roper joined the choir, was pianist when there was a shortage and even helped out with the crèche.

She said: "I always used to have a baby in my arms."

Miss Roper said she loves children and animals but cannot bear old people.

She went to Davies Lane School until she was 11, then attended Cann Hall School, later working for builders merchants Erith and Company which used to be in Leytonstone High Road.

She started as a junior clerk but was promoted to supervisor, a job which she loved, and spent 47 years with the company before retiring.

Miss Roper remembers both the First and Second World Wars.

"Living through the Second World War was absolutely terrible," she said.

"We used to spend our lives in the shelter and if we were at home we used to hide. It wasn't very nice."

Miss Roper celebrated her birthday by holding a tea and cakes party at her flat, and friends called to see her the following day.