A 100-YEAR-OLD man who was injured on D-Day says working hard is the key to a long life.
William Lazell, of Queensway, in Grimsby, received a card from the Queen wishing him a happy 100th birthday.
And he told the Grimsby Telegraph that "hard work and staying active" was the secret to his long years, having spent his whole life living in North East Lincolnshire.
"I've never been out of a job and always worked hard so it's kept my body moving," he said.
"It's just the way I was brought up and I'm pretty handy as a result, so it's served me well."
William, or Bill as he is known, was born in Thesiger Street to fisherman Harry and Emma Lazell, who worked on the docks brading fishnets.
He had four brothers, Charly, Harry, Jim and Dick, and first started work in a saw mill at just 14 years old.
He fought in the artillery during the Second World War and was injured on D-Day when a nearby gun ran over a land mine which blew him off his motorbike, breaking his arm and leaving him with shrapnel in his leg.
He recovered in a military hospital in Manchester and fought again in Germany.
After the war, Mr Lazelle worked at Watmough's, which became Kemp's, for 32 years, working his way up to foreman by the time he was made redundant.
He then went to Laportes, working in the brickyard then on the gardens for another 13 years before retiring.
In 1952, he married Kathleen, who died in 2007, and he has fond memories of celebrating their diamond anniversary in 2002.
The couple had one son, Paul, who is now 65, and they have two granddaughters, Suzanne and Claire, and two great granddaughters, Georgia and Ephraim, born to Claire.
Mr Lazelle was also a keen gardener, having kept an allotment for most of his life, and he a rode motorcycle for most of his life.
He said: "If you want to do something, you should just do it," he said.
"I never expected to get to 100 but it has eventually crept up on me and it was lovely to get my letter from the Queen.
"I have arthritis in my legs my I'm still very sharp and enjoy life so I'm lucky."
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