100-year-old's link with witches

3:24pm Tuesday 16th January 2007

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A 100-YEAR-OLD woman celebrated reaching the landmark birthday and said her long life could be linked to a distant relation - Pendle witch Alice Nutter.

Una Gartside, who still goes out to play bingo every week, celebrated her centenary with friends and family at the Andrew Smith residential home, Nelson, yesterday.

Born in Fence to a farming family, Mrs Gartside has lived in Nelson since the age of seven, and stayed at her own home in Bispham Road until just last year. Her husband Bob, who she married in 1932, died at the age of 64.

She puts her long life down to her witch blood - her mother always told her she was distantly related to Alice Nutter, from Roughlee, who was hanged in Lancaster Jail in 1612, accused of conspiring in witchcraft with Demdyke and the Device family.

Mrs Gartside said: "I think I must have some kind of special power passed on because I've been very lucky!

"Also, I've got very good instincts - if that little voice in my head tells me to do something or take a particular choice, I always end up sorry if I don't.

"I haven't been so lucky with the bingo, though - I haven't won anything for a year."

Mrs Gartside found fame 20 years ago when she became the oldest person ever to be fully baptised at Brierfield Baptist Church, and now she says she owes her life to her friends there.

She said: "I was the only one out of my brothers and sisters not to be baptised.

"I think my mum and dad just didn't have the time with the farm.

"I asked the vicar there about it, and he said he'd fit me in.

"Then, last year, I had a fall in the back garden of my house and I had to crawl back into the living room and onto a chair.

"I could have been there for days and died because I could barely move, but one of the young men from the church came round and found me when I hadn't been to the service.

"I don't think I'd have been here today if he hadn't.

"People have always looked after me."

Mrs Gartside, who has no children, was joined by relatives from Cardiff at her party, and mayor of Pendle, Coun George Adam, also joined in the fun.