A Chinese woman who has lived in Liverpool for almost 30 years celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday with family and friends.
Ms Tu Tran Dang was born in China on April 3 1922, but when she was old enough moved to Vietnam to operate a small grocery shop until she reached her 40s. But when complications arising from the Vietnam war forced her to flee the country, she returned home in the 1960s many years before she would make the long trip to the UK to live with her son and step-daughter.
But they didn't choose Liverpool immediately, instead living in Derby, Bradford and London, yet couldn't settle. They eventually arrived in Merseyside in 1994, and that's where Ms Dang and her family would spend the next 28 years until today.
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Speaking through interpreter Tracy Lin, Ms Dang's daughter-in-law Ngoc Chan Voong, told the ECHO: "They all separately moved to Hong Kong, and met each other [there] and then came to the UK together.
"It was just [her daughter-in-law] and her son [at first]. But afterwards when they were stable they were able to get Ms Dang to the UK after they received their Visa once settling down in the UK.
"They rented out the Pine Court dining room and brought a birthday cake and a balloon and all sat together and celebrated. They also saw other tenants on her floor, who congratulated her on her big birthday".
Ms Dang has dementia which her daughter-in-law - who also acts as her full-time carer - says began around two years ago.
Ms Voong said: "On the day we were really happy to see her memory there and to see her smile. When she remembers things at the right stage she's okay- she talks and she knows her family are, but sometimes when she's confused and she doesn't know if she's in China, or Vietnam or who she is herself."
Due to her age and condition, Ms Dang's family is currently seeking alternative living arrangements so she can be properly cared for. Ms Voong, continued: "They're applying for a space in a care home but because of Covid they're still waiting. So they're just waiting for the council for that."
