Centenarian receives over 1,000 cards for her 100th birthday

A centenarian spent her 100th birthday opening hundreds of cards from kind-hearted strangers, after care home staff issued an appeal on facebook.

Lizzie Picken has had more than 1,000 cards to open, despite never getting married or having children.

Staff at Evergreen Residential Home, where Lizzie now lives, put out an appeal on social media with the aim of getting 100 cards delivered by kind-hearted strangers.

Jackie Tope, manager of the care home in Plymouth said:"We started talking to Lizzie about her birthday because she was very excited about it.

"I said I could put out a request on social media and it would be fun for her to get 100 cards for her 100th. She loved that idea.

"She does have an older sister who is 103, but she lives in Scotland. Lizzie was a career lady who never married. But she does have some family and she has some very good friends."

The appeal began three weeks ago but has experienced a surge in popularity in the last week, with 52 cards arriving for lucky Lizzie.

Total strangers have taken the story to their hearts and cards have been coming in from across the country.

Lizzie grew up in Birmingham before starting a career in the land army, moving down to Taunton to study nursing and then to Plymouth, where she became a midwife.

Although Lizzie never married or had children, she said she's had a "wonderful life" so far.

Lizzie is a big part of the care home, and regularly dishes out chocolates to all of the residents and cracking jokes.

Lizzie said: "I've been quite happy being single all my life and I'd recommend it to anyone, I'm quite self sufficient.

"All moments of life are precious and I've been extremely lucky with mine, I'm very thankful."

"This is more than kind, it's so thoughtful - I'm so grateful."

Watch Nick Smith's report in full: