As the roll-out of Covid 19 vaccinations continues, the sisters of St Mary's Abbey in West Malling have begun to receive their jabs.

Four attended the vaccination centre in Leybourne last Sunday, and the rest are due to go this Saturday.

Mother Anne, the abbess, said: "We are quite a sheltered community with very little contact with the outside world, but we do have people come into the Abbey.

"Naturally we are very pleased to have been invited for a vaccination - we are quite an ageing community."

Sister Mary Mark is the eldest of the nine nuns living at the abbey. She turned 86 today and has been at St Mary's for 63 years.

A 10th sister is living at Gavin Astor Care Home in Aylesford.

So far all the nuns have avoided contracting Covid.

Mother Anne said: "We lead a very secluded life - it's a bit like being in 'lockdown' all the time. But we do sympathise with those who are now forced to live in lockdown when it's not their choice.

"I'm pleased to see the NHS is rolling the vaccinations out to more and more people and would encourage everyone to grasp the opportunity when they are offered it."

Read more: All the news from around Malling