100-year-old who's twice the party girl; GRAN WITH DOUBLE-REGISTERED BIRTHDATE HOLDS TWO EVENTS.

Byline: TOM MULLEN

THEY say Elizabeth 'Lily' Waters has two birthdays, just like the Queen.

Lily, who has celebrated her 100th year, told how her father managed to register her birth under the wrong date.

According to official papers, the centenarian was born on August 13, 1909, when in actual fact her date of birth was August 11 that year.

So, fittingly, as well as receiving the traditional card from Her Majesty, Lily and her family celebrated with two separate birthday parties.

The first was held at her sheltered accommodation in Byker, Newcastle, and was attended by the Lord Mayor of Newcastle.

Champagne flowed, there were nibbles aplenty, and Lily was presented with nine bouquets of flowers and a whopping 132 cards.

The following weekend, she was joined by more than 100 guests at the PTE club in Byker for an even larger celebration.

There were surprises too, as Lily's daughter Elizabeth managed to track down her old friend Betty Clucas, whom she hadn't seen for more than 40 years.

And, for another special treat, the Northumbrian Pipers were hired to provide a traditional musical background to the event.

Lily's daughter, Elizabeth, 72, said: "She really, really enjoyed herself.

"She doesn't always say very much but I think she was absolutely flabbergasted.

"I kept saying 'OK, mam, that's your last surprise' and she loved it."

Lily, originally from Wallsend, married William Waters and raised one child, Elizabeth.

Two grandchildren have since been added to the family, Garry, 49, and Janet, 46.

She considers her neighbour and long-term family friend Nicola's young triplets to be her own great-grandchildren, and dotes on the fiveyear-olds, Michael, Scott and Jessica, and their baby sister Robyn.

Much of her life was spent working as a tailoress, and Lily still has a passion for clothes.

Notably, she fashioned parts of the Lord Mayor of Newcastle's robes and her daughter says there were amusing scenes when the Lord Mayor arrived at her party in a suit rather than ceremonial clothes. Elizabeth said: "She asked him why he was wearing a suit! I think she was expecting him to be in the full traditional robes.

"No-one can believe she's 100. She's doing so well for her age.

"She's never really drank and always lived a good life.

"She would only really have white wine and lemonade.

"But she did have some Champagne on her birthday."

Still able to get around with her walking frame, Lily is well known on Byker's Shields Road, where her daughter regularly takes her out to buy groceries or clothes.

Events of 1909 National old age pension scheme came into force; First colour film was shown using Kinemacolor at the Palace Theatre in London; Selfridges department store opened in London; Representatives from England, Australia and South Africa met at Lords and formed the Imperial Cricket Conference; King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra opened the Victoria and Albert Museum; The first Boy Scout rally was held at The Crystal Palace in London; The first rugby match was played in Twickenham; The first Woolworth's store in Britain opened in Liverpool.

CAPTION(S):

DRESSED FOR SUCCESS: A young Lily, who was a tailoress DOUBLE CELEBRATION: Lily Waters with her telegram from the Queen and birthday balloon