Mum-of-five Alice Skelton says 'no fags and booze' have helped her reach grand age of 103

STEERING clear of cigarettes and alcohol is the key to a long life – according to this 103-year-old.

Alice Skelton celebrated her birthday with a surprise party at her home at Cambridge Park Care Home, in Grimsby.

She said: "I've not had a drink or a cigarette since the Second World War.

"I had some during the conflict because you needed them to get you through. I was working in farming so you had to smoke to keep the flies off you – but I've had none since!"

The mum-of-five and great-great- grandmother welcomed 34 guests, many of them from within her large family, to celebrate at her birthday party.

Born in South Killingholme way back in 1911, Alice has never lived away from North East Lincolnshire.

She worked in service for two years in her late teens, for the Mayor and Mayoress, but had to find something else to do when they moved to London.

She attributes much of her good health now to her time working in the open air on a farm in her younger days.

She has been married twice, once for four years and again for 50 – but late husband George Skelton died almost 20 years ago.

And she lived independently in Immingham's Stratford House up until August last year, when she moved to Cambridge Park, in Grimsby.

She said: "I don't feel too bad, even though I'm 103.

"I have my good and bad days but all that's really wrong is my memory, which could be a little better.

"When I look back I have tried to enjoy everything."

Alice praised her "special" carers at Cambridge Park.

"I love being here, they all look after me," she said.

"One of them mentioned to me on Sunday that I was having this party, I was just over the moon and it was lovely to have all of my relations there."

Emma Winchester, unit manager at the care home, said Alice was fiercely independent and popular among staff and residents.

"She's an absolute pleasure and we love having her here," she said.

"She's still very independent and is of sound mind, even at 103. For her age that's amazing.

"She gets on with everybody and has a lot of friends here. She's still going strong."

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