MEMBERS of Bolton’s Hindu community held a surprise birthday party for one of their elders.

Kamriben Patel celebrated her 100th birthday on December 12, and friends and family decided to throw a tea party at the Mercury Motel in Westhoughton to celebrate with her.

The centenarian arrived to be greeted by dozens of friends and family, who took it in turns to hug her and wish her a happy birthday.

Ms Patel was born in India in 1917 and had five brothers and two sisters.

She married in 1930 at the age of 13, but was widowed by the age of 26.

She has a large family consisting of one daughter, one son, three grandsons and three granddaughters, and ten great grandchildren.

At 62, she moved to Bolton from India to help her son look after her daughter-in-law who had been paralysed from the neck down.

She continued to look after her for 36 years until her death in 2015.

The party was also thrown to celebrated other elders within the Hindu community, and bring them all together to reminisce.

Minesh Patel, was one of the community leaders who helped to arrange the party.

He said: “Kamriben has devoted her life to family. She has never wanted anything lavish.

“She is probably the most highly respected elderly person in our community. She is a pillar of the community and a great role model for generations younger than her.

“Where most people retire at 60, she started her social care work!

“This was the first event like this we have done but hopefully we will do a lot more because the elders all really enjoyed it.”