THERE was music in the air as a Lochgelly woman celebrated her 100th birthday last week.

Margaret Hutchison couldn’t mark her centenary the way she intended but lockdown didn’t stop her friends and neighbours from paying tribute.

The former schoolteacher, who now stays in Dunfermline, was serenaded by singers from St Margaret’s Church while a piper played along.

Her friend, Dr Syed Ahmed, said: “Margaret is quite a remarkable woman for her age and she has managed to take care of herself and retain her independence.

“She’s lived a very active life with walking and cycling so has kept herself very fit.

“She thinks her long life is attributed to being very frugal during the war and not being overindulgent with food!

“She also enjoyed dancing.”

Margaret was born in Lochgelly on June 3, 1920 and went to school there.

She was introduced to George, a miner, by a family friend at her parents home in the town in 1943 and they married two years later.

He sadly passed away in 1990.

Their only son, Christopher, died in 2010 at the age of 62.

Dr Ahmed said: “Following the death of her husband she met Roy, a widower, through a dancing group in 1992 and they became close friends and partners until he died in 2011.

“Roy and Margaret had some wonderful times together as they both liked dancing and they also enjoyed cruising far and wide.

“Margaret has always enjoyed scrabble and continues to play to keep herself busy.”

Dr Ahmed met Margaret when he moved to Scotland from Bangladesh over 40 years ago.

He said: “Margaret picked me up from the airport in 1977 because I knew her cousin who has put me in touch with her.

“Of course she has been to every big event in my life such as my graduation and my wedding.

“She really has been like a mother to me!”