Lords and ladies turned out to pay their respects to Forces Sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn, who turns 90 next week.

The House of Lords hosted a special party sponsored by the Royal British Legion in the first of half-a-dozen parties for Dame Vera, of Lindfield, near Haywards Heath.

One of the guests told her: "You put a smile on everybody's face, even in those terrible times. Our wireless was always on."

There was warm applause when, at the end of a brief speech, she quoted from one of those memorable songs which meant so much to British Tommies fighting the world over, far from their loved ones: "We will meet again."

A sprightly Dame Vera, who said she felt like she was aged 60, was in chatty mood as she mingled with her friends.

Even now she is engaged in charity work for many causes, not simply those involving ex-servicemen.

She said: "I don't know where the years have gone. It is amazing what you can do for others. It is up to everybody to utilise whatever talents they have to use to help others inasmuch as they can.

"I hope I have spent my life well. I tried to do what I could to help others."

Dame Vera, who walks with a stick, wore a double string of pearls, a royal blue jacket and a black skirt.

She said that she didn't sing at all now.

She said: "I never did sing in the bath. I potter about in the garden now and am still involved in charity work - I am as active as I can be."

She said she never listens to records of her own wartime singing.

Labour peer Lord Morris of Manchester, who has campaigned alongside her for years, and who hosted the party on Wednesday night, said: "You are a most remarkable person. You deserve the nation's love.

"In the swinging Sixties they talked about yesterday. In the darkest days of the war, you sang about tomorrow and about bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover..."

Dame Vera chipped in, to laughter: "Where were the bluebirds? I don't know."

Lord Morris pointed out that Dame Vera was still campaigning for the First Gulf War veterans, adding that in all their campaigns together they had emerged winners in virtually every one. Dame Vera nodded enthusiastically.

Among those present were former Commons Speaker Baroness Boothroyd, national chairman of the Royal British Legion John Haythornthwaite, the Lord Speaker Lady Hayman, as well as members of Dame Vera's family.