DAME Vera Lynn took a trip down memory lane on her 100th birthday as pupils from her old primary school sang Happy Birthday and serenaded her with her most loved songs.

Twenty Year 5 children at Brampton Primary School in Newham, east London, performed four songs on Skype for the Forces’ Sweetheart including her much-loved wartime hits We’ll Meet Again and The White Cliffs of Dover, backed by an acoustic guitar.

Wearing a seasonal floral cardigan and speaking via Skype from her home in Ditchling, Dame Vera thanked the youngsters and recalled her “very good memories” of school.

The centenarian, who was born in East Ham and attended the school in the mid to late 1920s, told the students: “I have very happy memories of my days at Brampton Park school and I do hope that you’re happy there now.

“Thank you once again for your wishes and I wish you all the best.

“Bye bye for now and stay healthy and enjoy yourselves.”

She also praised the children for a “very well sung” medley and was virtually presented with a vanilla sponge cake shaped into the number 100.

She started her day by telling the Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Radio 2: “When I look on my mantelpiece and see these cards wishing me a happy 100th birthday I can’t believe it, but there you are, time marches on.

“And this is what I have got up there on my mantelpiece, to remind me of how old I am.”

Asked if she had any advice on getting older, Dame Vera, who made her stage debut at the age of seven, offered: “Be active to your full capabilities, keep interested, read books, watch television and try and keep in touch with life and what people are doing, seeing and enjoying.”

Talking about her work to entertain the troops, she said: “It was wonderful to be able to do something in those times.

“I’m glad it helped them to hold on to home.”

Last Friday saw the launch of her new album, Vera Lynn 100, which features re-orchestrated versions of her most loved music alongside her original vocals, making her the first centenarian to release an album.

Last night chart bosses said she was expected to beat rapper Drake to third place in the album rundown.

The chart spot will mean Dame Vera will beat her own record as the oldest living artist to reach the top 20.