Ref.10163EDWARD Burridge who has celebrated his 100th birthday has put his longevity down to not drinking or smoking.

Mr Burridge, formerly from the Marlborough area, now lives at Avonmead Nursing Home in Devizes, where he celebrated his birthday last Thursday. Mr Burridge's son, Norman who lives in Devizes, said: "My dad says the reason he has reached 100 is because he never smoked or drank and he eats plenty of vegetables and fruit.

"Dad never had a day off work sick in his life. He was extremely active and when he retired he tended other people's gardens in Great Bedwyn."

Mr Burridge was born in Cadley near Marlborough, and was a farm worker before he joined the Forestry Commission and worked at Savernake Forest.

He volunteered for the Home Guard during the Second World War then joined the Pioneer Corps where he guarded trains transporting ammunition to troops all over Europe.

Mr Burridge, who was widowed twice, has two sons, a daughter, ten grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.