Hundreds of well-wishers from across the globe - including Coronation Street quads Aled, Bryn, Cleo and Carys - have flooded a retirement home with gifts and cards in honour of ex-World War II land girl Ethel Appleton who celebrates her 100th birthday on Sunday.
A post on Meavy View home, Rochdale Facebook post has prompted at least 600 random messages and cards so far from the far-flung corners of the world, including Japan, the Falklands, France, Switzerland, the Channel Islands, the Netherlands and Ireland, and they are still coming at the rate of 50 a day.
Carers at the Milkstone Road home were aiming for 100 cards for each of Ethels 100 years when they posted an appeal on the Meavy View page six weeks ago.
Deputy manager Frances Shore told the Manchester Evening News: "We've been literally inundated with well-wishers. The card from the Coronation Street quads (in the soap, the children of Gemma and Chesney) came completely out of the blue.
"We're having a big party here on Sunday, and someone has offered to do her hair and someone else has offered to make her a birthday cake.
"We can't believe the random kindness there is all around. They should all become carers, then there wouldn't be a world shortage."
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The staff put the effort in because Ethel's only has two relatives. One is her sister-in-law Muriel Stott, 92, who can't make to the party on Sunday because she had a fall recently, although her niece Carol Stott will be there.
Ethel was born and grew up in Rochdale, attending Greenbank School before leaving at the age 14.
At the outbreak of World War II she volunteered to become part of the 'land army' of women working in the fields to grow food for the war effort and moved to the south of England.
It was in the Hampshire village of Liphook that she met her late husband George. They married in 1952.
The couple travelled all over the country throughout their married life, working in the poultry sector.
Ethel and George eventually returned to Rochdale and lived in Elliott Street until they both moved into Meavy View in 2017. George passed away two years ago.
Frances added: "Ethel is so popular in the home. Everyone loves her. Her skin is perfect. She loves doing jigsaws and is a mean dominos player."
