Polish war survivor celebrates milestone 100th birthday at Sutton care home

Weronika Burton marked her milestone birthday at Lawn Park Care Home, off Lucknow Drive, surrounded by caring staff, family and friends.

Weronika has lived a colourful life, after being born on July 14, 1923, as the eldest of six children in Poland, where her family lived and worked on a farm.

After the outbreak of World War Two, the family were seized by German soldiers and Weronika was forced to labour on a farm in East Prussia for five years.

There she met a gentleman by the name of William ‘Bill’ Burton, who was later to become her husband.

Bill was a British soldier captured in Norway, where he was sent to the Stalag 20B Prisoner of War camp, before being eventually transferred to the same farm as Weronika.

After the War, he traced Weronika through the Red Cross. She then came to England in 1946 and they married in 1947.

The couple lived in Nuncargate, before moving to Kirkby, where they went on to have nine children.

Weronika was a keen church-goer and went to take Holy Communion well into her 80s. She also enjoyed knitting, crotcheting, gardening and loved to cook and bake for her family.

Her husband William passed away six years ago at the age of 97 and, as Weronika’s health declined, the family supported her at home before moving her to Lawn Park Care Home.

She is now well looked after and enjoys daily visits from friends and family.

Suzanne Armstrong, a member of staff at the care home, said: “Weronika is a wonderful lady, who has remembered her roots and often talks to us in Polish.

“She has a very big family and they visit her at Lawn Park daily, they love her dearly.

“All of the staff at Lawn Park would like to wish Weronika a very happy birthday and hope she had a wonderful day.”