Bunting was draped across the masthead of a weekly newspaper to celebrate a reader’s 104th birthday.

The unique design was produced by the Cambs Times after it splashed on March resident Molly Goodenough reaching the milestone age.

Editor John Elworthy decided to put the story on Friday’s front page after becoming “a little weary” of weeks of bad news.

The page was created at owner Archant’s Norwich office by senior designer Jessica Hamilton.

Said John: “Basically I felt a little weary after weeks of headlines over derelict buildings, councils arguing over street lighting cut backs, fatalities (four killed in one accident), arsonists destroying a man’s houseboat and overturned tractors causing mayhem on our roads.

“So when a reporter came back after interviewing 104-year-old Molly Goodenough and told me how articulate, lovely and engaging she was, I thought ‘why not?’

“I briefed our Norwich design team, spoke to them and gave them a portfolio of pictures and the invitation to do something different, and Jessica Hamilton came back with this poster front.

“Jessica provided the bunting, I edited the write off, thought of the headline on my 25 mile commute home on Wednesday night – and dropped it onto the page later that night after washing up the dishes.”

Molly has been knitting for 99 of yer 104 years and told the Times keeping busy and positive had attributed to her longevity.

John added: “The reaction has been like the headline and story itself – warm and appreciative.

“Staff joked they would copy the layout on my 104th birthday in the expectation I shall still be editing the paper then – though opinions differ as to what the headline might be on that occasion.”