A proud Manx woman who became an unlikely TikTok star has died at the age of 104.

Doreen Slack, nee Clarke, passed away on November 11 in Llandudno, north Wales.

Her funeral took place in Liverpool on Monday this week (December 2) with her coffin draped in a Manx flag.

Her biggest wish was to have her ashes brought home to the Isle of Man and her family will travel over next year to carry that out.

Doreen moved to Liverpool in her early 20s but returned to the Isle of Man practically every year until she was 95.

She was fiercely independent and only used a Zimmer frame for the first time a month before she died.

Previously she never used any walking aids and attributed her long life to walking.

In her later years she became something of a TikTok star and had viewing figures of more than 4.9 million on one of her videos.

Doreen was born in Douglas, the eldest of five. Her parents Billy and Mary Clarke were from Willaston and ran a couple of greengrocers in Douglas.

She attended St Mary’s School and joined the NAAFI during the war when she met her husband George who was in King’s Regiment.

Doreen continued to get the Isle of Man Examiner every week and was always telling stories from working in Collinson’s, Greensills Corner and the Cabin Cafe where she served many celebrities who were doing shows at the theatre.

Back in June 2020, during the Covid pandemic, we reported how neighbours put on a distinctly Manx-themed street party for her in her home city of Liverpool.

Some 100 well-wishers attended the socially distanced celebrations which saw gazebos put up outside houses and the whole street decorated with balloons and bunting adorned with the Three Legs.

There was a piper and two singers providing entertainment in the centre of the road.

A letter from the Queen was one of the highlights of her big day. For many years, she was the secretary and chairwoman of Garston Royal British Legion, earning her a gold medal and meeting the Queen twice.

Granddaughter Vicky Kennedy described her Nan as an ‘absolute legend’.

She said: ‘Doreen had a very unique sense of humour for her generation. Very much one of a kind! She remained active all her life and her secret was daily walking.

‘Her dad Billy Clarke ran a couple of greengrocers on Allen St and Nelson Street. Nan absolutely hated strawberries as that was one of her jobs picking them.

‘Nan was the eldest of five children. Her brother Frank lived in the island until he passed away. Her brother Tony and sister Joan both emigrated to Australia, Joan was also long lived and passed away earlier this year. Eileen died as a baby.

‘Nan’s children Geraldine and George both passed away several years ago.

‘She met up with her cousins Peter Hughes and Barbara McConway who still live there when she returned home.’

You can watch Doreen’s TikTok videos at https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGdjpBBns/