Norwich's first woman traffic warden – who celebrated her 100th birthday yesterday – still remembers the abuse she got for handing out tickets to angry motorists.

Mildred 'Milly' Hayward, who was the first woman to pass the test to become a traffic warden in the city, said: 'The male traffic wardens quite enjoyed having female traffic wardens joining them. One of the girls palled up with one of the men, and they got married. I enjoyed every minute of it.

'I remember giving a man a ticket in Prince of Wales Road. His car was parked on the road before 8am which was not allowed. He was up on a roof with some workmen, and he was not very pleased about getting a ticket. He swore at me and said he hoped I got pregnant. And then someone was parked near where Bonds used to be. He told me I had made a mistake giving him a ticket and tore it up in front of me. I told him that he would now get another ticket – for litter. I was never frightened of them.'

Now resident at the Norfolk and Norwich Association for the Blind's care home for people with poor sight, Thomas Tawell House in the city's Magpie Road, she celebrated her milestone day with a visit from the Lord Mayor, Ralph Gayton, her four grandchildren, including Jasmine, who flew from Australia, four great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren. Back in the 60s, it was one of Mr Gayton's predecessors as Lord Mayor who incurred Mrs Hayward's wrath when the civic limousine parked on double yellow lines outside the then Royal Hotel – and promptly got a ticket from her. 'I always made sure I did my duty no matter who it was,' Mrs Hayward recalled. Born in Marlingford, Mrs Hayward worked on the land joined the traffic warden team in 1962, staying for eight years, after 16 years at Laurence Scott.