‘SPECIAL Aunt’ Clara Pulford, celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday.

Clara was born in 1914 and grew up in Shakeshaft Street, Blackburn with her brother and four sisters.

The family then moved to Burnley and she met and married her husband, Arthur who died in 2007.

The couple moved back to Blackburn and lived happily in Ewood, where Clara worked as a weaver in the mill and Arthur helped out at The Fernhurst pub.

Clara’s niece Sandra Dean said: “She is such a special aunty and like a mother to me.

“My father died when I was only around 18 months old and Clara moved in to help my mother, Elizabeth, look after us.

“She was wonderful with us and even turned down Arthur’s first marriage proposal because she didn’t want to leave me and my mother.

“She didn’t marry Arthur until after my mother had remarried and she was sure we were going to be all right.

“We love her very dearly and it is so wonderful to see her at 100 years old – she is fabulous.”