Filomena Staffieri celebrated her 100th birthday with more than 40 members of her family on Sunday.

Mrs Staffieri, whose birthday was on November 11, was thrown a party at the Marriott Hotel in Lower Castle Street.

The 100-year-old came to Bristol after her husband-to-be ran off with another woman.

She was supposed to marry Ernie Staffieri as part of an arranged marriage, but ended up marrying his younger brother Joseph instead after Ernie eloped.

Joseph brought her to Bristol where he was a director with The Bristol Wafer Company in Red Cross Street, Old Market. Mrs Staffieri worked on the shop floor and has stayed in Bristol ever since.

Joseph died in 1976, aged 63, following complications after surgery for stomach cancer, but Mrs Staffieri still manages to keep herself busy with help from her sons Rudolph, 75, and Ronald, 73, grandsons Rudi and Andrew, granddaughter Lisa and her only great grandchild, Gina, 10.

When people ask about her age, she says: "I just say that I am still here. They obviously don't have any room for me up there yet."