Sutton Coldfield's dancing queen Joan celebrates 100th birthday

Joan Langley, from Streetly, who still enjoys dancing, reached the milestone birthday on Sunday – with family and members of the Sutton Coldfield RAF Association in her garden on Sunday.

Joan was born in Pershore Road, Edgbaston and enjoyed a happy childhood with parents William and Nancy and sister 'Sis'.

She joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force in June 1940 and served until the war ended in 1945.

"I remember when I volunteered, my mother said 'what have done that for?' but she was very proud of me afterwards," Joan recalls.

During her service she met her husband Jim who was in the RAF and they were married in 1944.

Joan was stationed at RAF Wythall and worked on barrage balloons before switching to clerical duties.

She also played the bugle in a WAAF band which performed on the radio programme ‘Workers Playtime’ and at various theatres around the country.

Jim passed away 16 years ago but Joan, who has a daughter, Heather, and grandson Jamie has ccontinued to live life to the full and sells raffle tickets at RAF meetings.

Until the lockdown, she went dancing twice a week with the RAF Association describing her as a 'truly remarkable lady.'

Joan added: "Until lockdown I enjoyed dancing two or three hours a week.

"I have always enjoyed it. Jim and I danced very well in the forces.

"Before I took up dancing again, I used to ramble too and did that for 20 years.

"If you keep active and it up, you can do it!

"You need to keep exercising. I still do it now.

"I get a bit out of breath and my legs aren't as strong as they were but I enjoy it!

"I still feel young and I have enjoyed my life, even the poor parts were happy.

"I had lovely parents, a lovely sister and husband. It's just a shame they are not with me now."