A CENTURY-old family business in Bromsgrove which has proudly served the community through five generations recently celebrated its 100th birthday.

James Giles and Sons Funeral Directors, based on Stourbridge Road, initially launched as a carpenters and joiners when Mr Giles and his wife Annie began the business in 1916.

They swiftly switched to cater for bereaved families and now, 100 years later, the company has a team of six family members and five staff to help continue Mr Giles’ legacy.

Their milestone was marked with a party at Bromsgrove Golf Centre on Saturday, October 8.

Mr Giles’ grandson, Raymond Noble, who is company director alongside his cousin James Robert, said: "We are all really proud to be celebrating our 100-year anniversary.

"We are proud to be able to serve the community for such a long length of time.

"We have had five generations of our family working here. It is great that our grandfather started this firm and we are still here continuing his legacy today.

"Having a business for this amount of time takes care and dedication.

"We had the party for family and friends and a variety of entertainment from the Breakfast Club band, magician Wayne Humphries, and dancers from Bromsgrove Dance Studio.

"Town Crier Kevin Ward also visited and we had fireworks, balloons and cake.

"Everybody really enjoyed it."