ETHEL Hickson may have lived in Middlewich all of her life but that has not stopped her seeing the world.

The Longwood Close resident is celebrating her 100th birthday and told the Guardian about her adventures around the globe.

She has been to Israel, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Austria and Spain and has even visited the United States 17 times.

“My favourite subject at school was geography as I always wanted to travel even when I was younger,” she said.

Ethel has travelled extensively in America as she had a cousin who lived there called Geraldine Macdonough, who sadly died last year.

“She was married to an American airman so they lived all over the place,” she added.

“When I first visited she lived in Arizona and then California and Florida.

“We used to get behind the wheel and drive for miles and miles. Altogether I’ve visited 20 states.”

Ethel was born on the day of a total eclipse on October 10, 1912, and lived with her parents Arnold and Lucy Clarke in Newton Heath.

Gwen Hickson, who runs Middlewich Women’s Group, said: “A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon’s apparent diameter is larger than the sun, blocking all direct sunlight and turning day into darkness.

“That was the day Ethel was born! As one of our longest members it is lovely to celebrate this day with her.”

Ethel was just one when the First World War broke out and the conflict has formed one of her earliest memories.

She added: “I was with family in Leeds and I remember lying in bed and seeing the searchlights.”

But Ethel was 26 when the Second World War started and she helped to make Spitfire engines at the Rolls-Royce factory in Crewe.

She said: “I felt I was doing something to help the war effort and it was nice to hear the engines being tested.

“There must have been thousands of us working there. I used to get up at 7am and get home at 7pm. I never saw the daylight during the winter.”

Ethel met her husband Richard at Middlewich Methodist Church after the war. He was stationed in Palestine and Egypt during the conflict.

In her youth, she was also one of the first pupils to study at Middlewich High School after attending the Church of England infants’ school in Leadsmithy Street which has since been demolished.

As a young woman she had a job at the Lily Works in Middlewich and after the war worked at Macclesfield’s Silk Works.

“You just have to keep going,” Ethel said.

“I’ve been pretty lucky with my health as I’ve never had any real illnesses and I don’t take any notice of all these diets as I must be doing something right.”