Brighouse woman reaches 103.

BRIGHOUSE woman Elaine Parkin has notched up some interesting experiences.

And at the age of 103, she may well be the oldest person in the area.

Mrs Parkin, of Hove Edge, flew to Australia alone at the age of 91 to visit her sister Audrey, who emigrated there in the late 1950s.

She has also enjoyed a trip on super-fast airplane Concorde, at 86.

But her recent 103rd birthday celebrations were more down to earth - she was ill in Calderdale Royal Hospital.

It was a contrast to her 100th birthday, when 100 guests partied at Hove Edge Bowling Club and Mrs Parkin took trips to Cornwall and to London to see Buckingham Palace, Clar-encHouse and Hampton Court Palace.

Mrs Parkin was born weighing just 2lbs on June 26, 1906 in Longwood - one of five children.

She left school at 13 to work at various mills in the Huddersfield area. She also played piano at the cinema in Golcar for the silent movies.

She married Eddie on December 15, 1928. He died 19 years ago.

The couple had two children, Bronwen Cruickshank, who lives in Hove Edge with husband Stan, and Douglas, who lives at Tarleton near Southport.

Mrs Parkin has three granddaughters - Zoe, Lisa and Vicky and six great grandchildren - Callum, 13, Emily, nine, Dylan, five, Eva, four, Marnie, three and 11-month-old Isla.

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CELEBRATION: Elaine Parkin (seated) marks her 103rd birthday in Calderdale Royal Hospital with son Douglas Parkin, daughter Bronwen Cruickshank, great-grandchildren Callum and Emily Atkinson and their mum Vicky Atkinson (s)