A WOMAN who celebrates her 100th birthday today has shared the secret of her longevity ...

hard work.

Patricia Green from Glasgow's South Side has lived through two world wars and countless prime ministers and has watched the modern world change from homes all over the world.

Now living in Mount Florida, she insists she wants for nothing after working hard in various jobs since she was a teenager.

Born in the Gorbals, the daughter of a shipyard worker, Patricia attended St Francis' Primary and Secondary School in the area.

At the age of 14 she finished her education and started work in a cooked meats factory in Moffat Street. It was there that she met future husband Harry who was working as a mechanic.

The couple married at St Francis' Church on July 28, 1939 and were together until Harry passed away in 1991.

In 1950 the brave young lovers emigrated to Australia and set up a delicatessen. But Patricia couldn't stand the heat and after three years they headed back to Glasgow. But before long they had itchy feet again and this time set off for Canada where Patricia worked in a department store for another three years until the pull of home brought them back to the South Side.

They bought a fruit and flowers shop in Springburn which they ran until 1967 when they sold up for a new adventure. With their niece Marie Bennett, now 58, they travelled on a cruise ship to New Zealand for an extended holiday before returning to open another shop, this time in Scotstoun.

At the age of 70, the couple retired from retail and Harry took a job as a taxi driver while Patricia helped out on the school buses. When she wasn't working, she enjoyed playing bingo.

Patricia said: "I never stopped working and Harry was the same."

She believes life is harder now than it was when she was younger. Patricia said: "People can't get work. We didn't seem to worry as much when we were young. Things have changed so much."

The 100-year-old celebrated the milestone at home with her family including niece Marie and her husband Colin, 61, as well as their sons Jonathan, 28, and Adam, 19.

matty.sutton@eveningtimes.co.uk