IT was a brightly coloured day to remember for Margaret Aitken as she celebrated turning 100.

Now a resident of Orchard Grove care home in Toryglen, Margaret lived in India for many years.

To honour her centenary, fellow residents helped transform the home with jewel colours, elephants and flowers.

Margaret became quite emotional as she surveyed the special scene laid on for her.

And she had a guest of honour at her 100th birthday party with Lord Provost Eva Bolander attending afternoon tea.

Margaret, who grew up in Maryhill, said: "Is all this for me?" as she saw the treats laid out for her.

The centenarian, who was born just one year before World War One ended, met her husband James 'Jimmy' Aitken at the dancing in Glasgow.

Jimmy, from Springburn, cut a dash in his suit as he took to the floor of the Ca' D'Oro ballroom.

Later, Margaret's mother invited Jimmy round for dinner and he proposed not long after.

The couple married when Margaret was 24 but, sadly, Margaret's mother died shortly after the wedding.

Jimmy began a career with the sugar company Tate and Lyle, which meant the pair had to move to India.

Margaret remembers her husband was already living in India and a colleague of his came to the house to tell her she would have to move too.

She said: "He told me to sit down before he told me the news.

"I said, 'I'm not going,' and he said, 'There's no choice, Margaret,' so a trunk was packed and I was put on a big, big boat.

"Jimmy was there to meet me at the other end."

The couple had servants in India, which was the norm for the time, and Margaret said one incident stands out in particular.

One of the servants had a baby girl who was gravely ill - but the couldn't afford the cost of a doctor.

Margaret said she would pay and the baby was brought to their home to recuperate.

She said: "Years later this beautiful young woman came and knocked on my door.

"I said, 'Who are you? I don't know you?'

"And she said, 'You do know me, Margaret, you brought me up.'

"It was the baby, now a grown woman."

Margaret still wells up at the memory.

But she is happiest recounting how Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India's independence movement, came to their house for dinner to meet Jimmy.

The couple returned to Scotland and lived with Margaret's father until he died.

Jimmy continued to work with Tate and Lyle while Margaret worked in the knitwear department of Bremner's department store on Glassford Street.

She said: "I worked every day from noon until 3pm to cover the lunch breaks.

"I served the customers and it was very busy, a very busy store.

"It was always good fun, a good time."

Margaret lived in Maryhill on her own - the couple had no children - until a few years ago when she moved into a care home.

She has been a resident of Orchard Park since it opened two years ago.

Yesterday staff, residents and Margaret's friends from Carnwadric Church of Scotland gathered to wish her well - and help blow out the candles on her cake.

Lord Provost Eva Bolander said: “Margaret is a remarkable woman who met Ghandi while accompanying her late husband James, who worked for the Tate and Lyle sugar company, to India.

"A true tale of adventure.

"It was a privilege to meet her and be part of her special day at Orchard Grove.

"Everyone made a huge effort to make it a day to remember.

"I send my congratulations to Margaret on her milestone birthday and my thanks to all the staff who made sure she was the centre of attention.”