Merry Christmas and a very happy birthday to this remarkable lady, who hits 100 years old today.
Francis Collins, known as Frankie to friends and family, was born on Christmas Day 1919, and today marks a spectacular century of life.
Crediting a daily dose of manuka honey and her devotion to her local church for her longevity, the former nurse still lives independently in her home in Walkergate, just a stone's throw from where she grew up in Byker.
The big birthday was marked not only with the unusual honour of a Christmas card from the Queen, but as a huge Newcastle United fan, Frankie enjoyed a visit from former Magpies' captain Bob Moncur.
At a party on Sunday, Frankie's nieces and nephews arranged for the club ambassador and ex-defender to join the festivities.
NUFC has been a huge feature of Frankie's life, and she even worked for the club at one point.
After volunteering to become a nurse during the Second World War, surviving several bombings at of the London hospital where she worked, Frankie returned to her home in Newcastle, and continued with her medical career, working in the X-ray department until her retirement in 1979.
During that time, she helped provide physiotherapy and rehabilitation for players at St James' Park.
Great-nephew Johnnie Shipley, 38, said: "She listens to every match on the radio. Recently she watched a game on the television, I think for the first time, but she's spent her life listening to the games on the wireless. She'll give you the full break-down afterwards, and we all know you can't call her when the match is on.
"It's nice that we've had someone from the club to celebrate with her, because it has been such a huge part of her life, really for the last 100 years."
Still extremely active to this day, Frankie is known for making both her own clothes and the hundreds of Christmas cards she sends out each year. She loves to bake and decorate cakes, providing elaborately decorated confections for family birthday and celebrations. When Johnnie got married three years ago, he was delighted to receive a wedding cake from his great aunt.
He said: "She's quite a character. She's always taking care of people - when she retired she took care of two of her sisters and one of her brothers.
"She keeps herself really busy and active, I think that's what keeps her going. She's been heavily involved with the church since retirement, she's always making cakes for everybody, making her own cards.
"She's so involved with all the family still. She's amazing, to have lived such an active life, having grown up in quite a tough environment in Byker in the 20s and 30s and to still be going strong and still caring for everyone around her. It's amazing to have her as part of the family."
Great-nephew Richard Lant, 58, added: "She's quite an incredible lady. She's one of five sisters, and she'll be the third to make it to 100.
"She's got some fantastic stories, and she's a real superhero to our family."
