A former Llyn dance teacher had reason to celebrate at the Plas Hafan Care Home, Nefyn, after reaching her 100th birthday.

Hilary Griffith, ‘Miss Hilary’, is well known for her dance schools in towns all over the county.

Hilary is pictured with her niece Prue Lancaster looking at the 100th birthday card she received from the Queen.

Hilary Griffith, better known as Miss Hilary, moved to Llithfaen during the Second World War when her mother brought a group of evacuees with them from Liverpool to shelter from the troubled times that Liverpool and the rest of the major cities and towns were experiencing.

During her time at Llithfaen, Miss Hilary met her husband-to-be, William John Griffith. After the war, when they married, they moved to the Wirral where Miss Hilary, a fully-qualified Royal Academy of Dance teacher, set up dance schools and taught the art of ballet dancing.

When Miss Hilary was 60 years old, both she and her husband retired back to Nefyn, and Miss Hilary set up dance schools at Pwllheli, Porthmadog and Criccieth which were very popular with the children of the area.

Even though Miss Hilary and her husband William John Griffith had no children of their own she counted all the children she had taught as her children and enjoyed passing on her passion for dance.

At the age of 80, Miss Hilary decided it was time to take life easier and retired from her dance schools but still had the energy and time to teach a local group of the WI ‘tap dancing’.

A special party was held at Plas Hafan home, where Miss Hilary now lives, on 11 February.

Her niece, Prue Lancaster, said: “We as a family wish to thank the staff, friends and fellow residents for the wonderful day they all had arranged for Miss Hilary.”

See this week’s Dwyfor edition, in shops and online now