Birthday messages from the Queen at Buckingham Palace have been arriving thick and fast at Broomgrove Nursing Home of late, as three of its eldest residents have celebrated their centenaries.

The trio of ladies have all reached the grand old age of 100, setting a record for the Sheffield-based care home. Betty Richardson, 101, Lucille Burnand, 100, and Val Royston, 100 this month, are all renowned for their positive outlook on life.

Betty Richardson, who enjoyed a long career in employment services, said: "Both my parents had a very positive attitude to life and it rubbed off on me!"

Lucille Burnand spent her life caring for others - she spent much of World War II looking after sick children and was her parents' carer in later life.

Val Royston spent her working life in academia, and worked in Sheffield University's Department of Law for many years.

Donna Pierpoint, Manager of Broomgrove Care Home, said: "It's not every day we have the pleasure of three ladies that have reached such amazing age.

“They all have pin-sharp memories, which is quite amazing to say they were all born before the end of World War I and have all lived such long and well meaning lives."

Broomgrove, which is located just off Ecclesall Road in Sheffield, is the only home of its kind with charitable status in the city and surrounding region.

www.broomgrove-trust.co.uk