A CENTENARIAN has celebrated her 100th birthday in style.

Helga Beck was born in Germany on December 7, 1922, and celebrated the landmark at Corner Lodge Care Home in Jaywick.

She was sent a letter from the King and Queen Consort to wish her a happy birthday.

Helga was born to father Herman Oskar Meinsen and mother Johane Auguste Meinsten.

Helga grew up in Lage, a town in the Lippe district of North Rhine Westphalia in Germany with her parents and siblings Heinz, Gunter and Rosemarie.

Sadly, Helga’s mother Johane died during Rosemarie’s birth and Rosemarie's daughter Melanie detailed her auntie's life story.

Melanie said: “Herman owned a printing business and printed a German paper called Der Postillion.

“He started off with just one page of news but built up to having the paper and the shop run for many years.”

When Herman died the business was taken over by Helga’s brothers Heinz and Gunter and they started sending copies to England.

Helga had a German boyfriend named Rudy before she met her husband Arthur Beck in Germany when he was in the army.

Melanie added: “When my mum Rosemarie was 12, she moved to Leytonstone with auntie Helga and uncle Arthur.

“They didn’t have any children of their own and ended up raising mum in a way.

"Helga and Arthur both spoke good English and sent mum to a private school so she could learn.”

Arthur was a chef and Helga worked in Ilford town hall as a draughtswoman working on maps and planning.

Eventually, the pair retired and moved to Holland-on-Sea where Arthur loved fishing and walking along the seafront.

They spent many happy years there and made lots of friends until Arthur became ill and passed away.

As Helga got older she took up a role at a church and still enjoyed her walks on the seafront.

Melanie said: “I used to take mum to visit auntie Helga and we would go to the Toby Carvery in Clacton which was nice.

“Distance made it tough for the sisters to see each other but they have always had a close bond.”