PARISHIONERS of a West Wight church sang a socially distanced 100th Happy Birthday to a much-loved member of its congregation on Monday.

Rev Leisa Potter led the celebrations for Doreen Fennell, who waved back at her friends from Christ Church, Totland, from the balcony of her home.

Doreen was born in Anerley in South East London and took a keen interest in the church from an early age.

At 15, she ran a local Sunday School class.

On leaving school she trained as a teacher at Homerton College, Cambridge. By the time she had qualified, the Second World War had begun. As teaching was a reserved occupation, she was not called up for active service.

After the war, she taught in a girls' school in Stanmore, London. There was a boys' school on the same site, and one day when travelling by bus she sat next to one of their teachers, who was reading the New Testament.

The ensuing conversation led to Leslie Fennell inviting her out the next day and, in due course they married, and had three children, David, Paul and Rosalyn.

Mr Fennell became a headteacher, serving at three secondary schools in London, Hertfordshire and Hampshire. He retired in 1978, and the couple moved to the Island, settling in Totland.

Mr Fennell was soon preaching and taking services at Christ Church, and in 1988 Mrs Fennell helped to found Christian Viewpoint, a group of women who met regularly in the church hall to hear a variety of speakers.

She remains a loyal and much loved member of the congregation.