Talk about letting your hair down for a big birthday.
Kathleen Scrace celebrated turning 100 in style – by cruising along Dornoch beach in an open top sports car with the wind in her hair.
The adventurous resident at Innis Mhor care home in Tain made the request when manager Jackie Macrae asked her how she would like to spend her special day on Tuesday.
Kathleen, better known as Kay, was whisked to Dornoch in a speedy Mercedes.
Always a free spirit, she was born in Chadderton, Greater Manchester, where she met and later married James Sydney Scrace, who was working as a draftsman for Avro, the aircraft manufacturer.
Kay worked at Oldham Royal Infirmary, becoming the manager of the records department, before transferring to Boundary Park Hospital to take charge of the ante-natal department.
On their retirement, the couple moved to a smallholding at Dyfed, in Wales, where they “lived the good life”.
Later they went to live in the Algarve in Portugal, where they were very happy entertaining family and friends in their villa by the sea.
By the time they were in their late seventies, they decided to return to the UK to be close to their daughters, Pauline and Ann, and David, their son, who lives in London.
Jim died in April 2016, at the age of 95. Soon after, Kay went to live with her daughter Ann in Invergordon, until she moved into Innis Mhor in May 2018.
The centenarian has always had itchy feet throughout her life, moving house every few years.
Still true to that wandering spirit, when asked by Jackie what she would like to do on her birthday, Kay’s reply was: “To drive to the beach in an open-topped sports car and feel the wind in my hair.”
Daughter Ann said: “Mum had a wonderful day and I, and all the family, would like to thank Jackie and all the staff at Innis Mhor for taking very good care of mum, and going above and beyond to give her a wonderful birthday.”