A FURZE Hill resident who survived two air raid blasts during the Second World War has celebrated her 100th birthday.

Pam Stembridge arrived in style for a special birthday tea party on Friday in a 1927 Austin 7. She went on on tour of the village in the classic car before the party.

Born Pamela Lane-Fox in St Margaret’s at Cliffe, Kent, she spent her childhood in Kensington and Tunbridge Wells.

She adored animals, and still does, and had a dog called Tuppence.

Pam learnt to ride from a very young age with her father who often insisted she rode bareback to better her skills, which paid off in later life as she became a highly acclaimed riding instructor.

During the Second World War she found herself driving ambulances, buses and army personnel.

And it was during this time that she had two close calls during air raids.

Whilst sneaking a bath at her friend’s house an air raid partially hit the house and Pam was blown out of the window, still in the bath, where it ended up up-side-down on bushes. She did sustain some last injuries from the incident.

The second was while Pam was at a friend’s house when an air raid directly hit the house. She was eventually found buried deep in the rubble. Her friend died in the incident.

Pam married a Canadian pilot and went to live in Canada. He died in a plane crash.

She later moved back to the UK and met and married Bob Stembridge, who was a friend of her late husband.

They both loved the New Forest and after living near Burley for some years. They eventually bought their home in Furze Hill near Hyde some 55 years ago where Pam still lives today.

Bob and Pam were said to be at their happiest surrounded by animals. From Dachshunds to Great Danes, mostly from rescue, horses, donkeys, her beloved Siamese cat Penny and a family of badgers.

She nursed a male badger after a car accident. He ended up having a family that he would bring down from the woods of an evening to see what food offerings Pam had left out.

Now, Pam just has her three-legged dog, Kizzie, and enjoys walking her daily as well as keeping busy in the garden.

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