A PEMBROKESHIRE lady who was born five years before the start of World War One and three years before the sinking of the Titanic is one of the oldest people in Wales.

Dorothy Dalton, who has reached the great age of 105, remembers coal being mined in Saundersfoot, meeting Dylan Thomas in Laugharne, barrel organs accompanying dancing bears in the Pembrokeshire streets and visiting poor mining families with her mother to give alms.

For more than 10 years, Dorothy has been a resident at Ridgeway Nursing Home, Llawhaden, where she has just celebrated her birthday.

The mayor of Narberth, Councillor Sue Rees and Councillor Colin Williams visited the home to congratulate her, and there was a special visit from the home’s previous owner and matron, Maureen Ruskin.

Born in 1909, Dorothy went to school in Stepaside in her early years. Her parents, Edward John and Gertrude Elizabeth Ladd-Thomas, were both chemists, and ran the chemist’s shop in Laugharne.

At the age of 14, she lost her mother to TB and also contracted the disease, being sent to Cardiff to recover.

Dorothy later moved to London to become a nanny and in 1952, married her policeman husband George, becoming stepmother to Colin.

Dorothy and George subsequently moved back to Pembrokeshire where they set up an antiques and restoration business.

They were both residents at Cawdor Court, Narberth before George died some 14 years ago.

The home’s activities co-ordinator, Anna Fletcher, described Dorothy as ‘a most valued and loved resident’.

She added: “Dorothy has always been such a kind and caring lady, a very sociable member of the resident community at Ridgeway and we all agree it is a great honour to be able to care for Dorothy at the great age of 105 years.”