Ref. 11865YOUNG at heart Rosemary Lardner of Chippenham celebrated her 70th birthday by getting back to her roots with a wee highland fling on Sunday.

Mrs Lardner, of Harden Mead, was set up for a surprise birthday bash at her home by her family.

A proud Scot, born in Ballater, near Balmoral, she was regaled with sound of the pipes for an hour in what proved to be a pleasant trip down memory lane.

"I had the most wonderful, wonderful, morning," she said. "The bagpipes played all my favourite Scottish tunes like Highland Cathedral.

Mrs Lardner moved from Scotland 52 years ago to spread her wings because there were not many prospects for jobs in her home town.

After a job with as a children's nanny in Hampshire fell through she moved to Corsham to stay with an aunt.

She has stayed in Wiltshire since, marrying her husband, Fred, 48 years ago and working at Westinghouse in Chippenham for a number of years.

The couple had four children, who turned out with her five grandchildren to celebrate her birthday.

Her ties with Scotland have remained strong with yearly visits to see family and friends up North. A visit is planned later this month to celebrate her birthday there.

Daughter Liz Lardner said: "Our mum is a very proud Scot. The pipes were big surprise for her, she was absolutely flabbergasted."