A WEMBLEY woman has reached the grand old age of 108 and celebrated the big day with friends, food, drink and dancing.

The amazing Frances Woolf marked the big day at her residential home Edinburgh House, Forty Avenue, on October 12 by enjoying the company of the people closest to her.

Miss Woolf, who is believed to be the world's oldest Jewish person, was visited by a host of friends, including a family who used to live with her 50 years ago as lodgers in the upstairs part of her former home. Several generations came to see her on her 108th birthday.

She does not have children of her own, but grew so close to her lodgers they became like family to her.

She enjoyed some party food, and a dance troop performed a routine with sombrero hats.

Vivienne Zubaida, who works as a fundraiser at the home, said: "She is just a lovely lady, she has a chair by the entrance to the home and she sits there just speaking to people. They love to see her.

"She had a wonderful birthday, she is doing so well. After the party she got the microphone and thanked everyone for coming. She is definitely the oldest resident we have ever had, she's amazing."

The birthday girl grew upin North Kensington, and attended Colville Primary School where she won a scholarship to Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith. After leaving school she became a teacher, and eventually a headmistress at Wendell Park Primary School in the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.

After the war, in 1948, she was an exchange teacher in the US, where she said she had "the time of her life".

A year later she bought a four bedroom house in Wembley, which she converted into the two flats, and it was here that she met her new 'family'. After a bout of pneumonia in 2009 Frances moved into full time care at Edinburgh House.

Miss Woolf received a card from the Queen and also a note from Iain Duncan Smith, secretary of state for work and pensions.

Mrs Zubaida said: "She had a lovely time, she even had a cake and blew out all the candles, although we didn't have 108 of them."