Sprightly Bernard Sparks celebrated his 100th birthday surrounded by friends.

A card from the Queen and a visit from the Mayor of Wootton Bassett Bill Roberts were highlights of a memorable day.

Bernard, who has lived in Ridgeway House for 11 years, still enjoys going shopping on his own for his own needs and those of less mobile fellow residents.

He said: "I'm lucky to be so fit and active. Reaching 100 is a marvellous achievement, but you need to keep going, because once you give up, you've had it.

Mr Sparks, who was born in Dorking in November 1900, still exercises daily and prides himself on being nimble in mind and body.

"I still do press-ups and deep breathing," he said. "My father was a carpenter, a hard-working, honest man. He made me a pair of stilts and I could run on them, and go up and down stairs."

Music has been a lifelong interest, and Mr Sparks was a violinist and alto saxophone player.

He said: "I haven't played my violin for almost a year, because my eyes aren't so good now and the notes are too small to read. I think the last time I played was for carols last year."

He remembers his strict violin teacher who was an Army man and used to rap his fingers if he wasn't placing them correctly.

He and his late wife Barbara were married in 1926 and travelled widely.

"We never went abroad, but we loved Devon and Cornwall, and we walked and walked. We never wanted to sit on a beach, we enjoyed being out and about."

During the Second World War, he entertained the forces, and played in a dance orchestra.

"We used to walk across muddy fields to dances for the troops and the Land Army girls. Sometimes it was hard to tune our instruments with the piano. We certainly saw a lot of life!"

Bernard was widowed in 1972, and moved to Wootton Bassett in 1982. He bought a flat on Poets Estate and lived alone before moving to Ridgeway House residential home.