THE long arm of the law caught up with West Somerset centenarian Connie Matthews this week as celebrations were held to mark her 104th birthday.

Mrs Matthews, who is resident in Croft House care home, in Williton, was surprised with a birthday present and a card from Avon and Somerset Constabulary Chief Constable Sarah Crew.

The gift and card were presented to Mrs Matthews by Williton and Watchet neighbourhood police team’s PCSO Zak Howe and PCSO supervisor Katherine Williams, who is also a schools link officer.

Family, friends, and other residents attended the party in Croft House, where staff organised a tea dance to celebrate Mrs Matthews’ birthday.

Mrs Matthews was born in 1921, the year when police first used motorcycles to patrol in London, the Royal British Legion was founded and held the nation’s first official Poppy Day, and the country suffered a drought which lasted for 100 days and was followed by a heatwave with temperatures in the 30s Celsius.

She is the widow of George Matthews, who served as a police chief superintendent in Bath at the time in the 1970s when the city’s force merged with the Somerset constabulary under Avon and Somerset’s first Chief Constable Kenneth Steele.

George Matthews retired in the mid-80s and the couple moved to Minehead, where he became chairman of Probus and was also a prominent member of Porlock Bowling Club.

Mrs Matthews busied herself with writing and was involved with Minehead University of the Third Age (U3A), and she was also active in the local amateur dramatics and dancing scene.

Her daughter, Helen Gorman, said: “She still had a little jig at the tea dance for her birthday party.”

Croft House, which will mark its 15th anniversary next year, offers specialist residential care for up to 67 residents.