AN AVID West Ham United fan had the time of her life celebrating her 103rd birthday.

Ivy Hyden met two of the players, took a trip to Upton Park and the well-known Boleyn pub near the stadium where she met her husband many years ago. She was also given Hammers memorabilia.

And on top of that she enjoyed a slap-up meal, met Havering Mayor Cllr Pam Light, Hornchurch and Upminster MP Angela Watkinson, and received letters of congratulations from both the Queen and the Prime Minister David Cameron.

Ivy, of Little Gaynes Rest Home in Upminster, reached the remarkable milestone on December 17.

The achievement was made special with the help of her care home manager Pat Cogley who with David Patterson, manager of David Lloyd gym in Gidea Park, helped to arrange the meeting with footballers Mark Noble and Jack Collison.

Pat said: “We took her with her best friends from the home – Emily Carrington, 95, and Betty Walters, 92, and Ivy’s daughter, Doreen Keeling. The West Ham players go there to train so I asked the manager if we could arrange for a couple of the boys to be there.”

Just weeks before Pat and some other staff from the home took Ivy to Upton Park where the manager of the club shop “let her have her pick” of what she wanted.

She watched a match and stopped by the Boleyn pub where she was given a football shirt and “spoilt rotten”.

She had the chance to reminisce about when she met her husband Frederick, who she was married to for 60 years from the age of 19. He passed away aged 78.