A SEQUENCE dancer and former dinner lady was treated to a surprise party for her 100th birthday.

Norah Witkiss celebrated her milestone last Friday with family and friends at King’s Hall in Prestatyn. A performance of sequence dancing followed, a part-time interest that Norah has enjoyed for decades.

Norah was born Wrexham in 1917. In 1934, at the age of 17, she went was given a green card by the Labour Exchange and sent to work at the Prestatyn Golf House Hotel as a maid and cook. There she met Fred Thomas, who was working as a golf caddy at the time.

The couple married in 1935. She had one child, Marlene Thomas, who died in 1980.

Norah worked briefly in the 1950s as a cook at Prestatyn High School before going on to run the school kitchen at Ysgol Penmorfa until her retirement in the 1970s.

Granddaughter Julie McGuinness said: “Norah is still occasionally recognised by former pupils.

“She would walk to work, from Caradoc Road, passing an empty house that had just been built at the bottom of Dawson Drive. She fell in love with it and got husband Fred to make enquiries with the council. Norah’s memory is not clear on the details but they got the house.” Fred died in 1970. She later found happiness with Bert Witkiss. The couple married and shared 16 happy years together.

During the week, Norah and Fred attend evening sequence dance classes.

Norah’s love of sequence dancing continued until her early 90s, Julie added and when Bert died in the late 1980s, Norah continued dancing. At one of the classes, she met a man called Malcolm and they have been companions for 25 years.

Julie said that the party on Friday was a “wonderful surprise” for Norah.

“She said that she did not feel 100 years’ old,” Julie added. “Norah is a strong and determined character and refuses to let old age hold her back. She and Malcolm still go out every day without fail to their favourite cafes and to watch the world go by.

“I live in Colchester but visit as much as possible, every visit is precious.

“Thank you to all the wonderful people at the King’s Hall, especially Rita, whose kindness and hard work made Norah’s day so special.”