A WIRRAL nurse had double cause for celebration when she turned 70 this week.

Kathy Shirley has reached the milestone age in the year the NHS also marks its 70th anniversary.

Kathy, a registered nurse on the pre-operative assessment unit at Clatterbridge Hospital, is one of the longest serving members of staff at the Trust having worked in the NHS for over 50 years.

Talking about her special birthday Kathy said: "I always knew I was an NHS baby.

"Growing up it was great being the same age as this amazing health service we all love so dearly.

"I think the NHS is a wonderful institution that has helped so many people through so much and it makes me feel very proud to be part of it here in Wirral."

The grandmother, affectionately known as "grandma" by colleagues lives in Wallasey and has a busy routine around work caring for her two horses.

She said: "I get up at 5am to muck out the horses and feed them before I come into work.

"When I get home from my shift I go back out and tend to them. It’s so rewarding having horses.”

To celebrate her 70th birthday staff held a small party in the department in which she was also presented with flowers from Gaynor Westray, director of nursing and midwifery along with a card from Wirral University Teaching Hospital Trust's acting chief executive David Jago and a letter of congratulations from interim chair Sir David Henshaw.

Kathy added: "I was really surprised that I got flowers and I didn’t expect anything at all.

"I'm very quiet and just like to come to work.

"I have so many wonderful people around me.

"We are all family, we help each other all the time and they all call me grandma.

"I don't feel 70. I think keeping working and having hobbies keeps you young. I only feel about 20."

Kathy has held many posts at the Trust over the years and has helped many hundreds of patients.

She said: "One of my best moments working for the NHS was working in haematology and looking after a girl who had leukaemia then went into remission.

"Her mother came in many years later and said she had recovered well and had children of her own. That was wonderful. It really is nice to know you make a difference in people's lives.

"I really like looking after people and it's very rewarding to look after patients who are so dependent on you.

"It's just really gratifying to see the difference you can make."

Gaynor Westray, director of nursing and widwifery, said: "It's fantastic to be celebrating Kathy's 70th birthday on the same year that we are marking the 70th anniversary of the NHS.

"Kathy is a much-loved member of staff at our Trust who has dedicated many years to helping our patients and I wish her all the very best."