Sausage and mash proved to be the perfection celebration lunch for Fenstanton man David Smith as he celebrated his 103rd birthday.

Mr Smith was joined by family and friends on Saturday at the Exhibition pub in Godmanchester, where he marked his big day.

His youngster sister Joyce, 93, was also in attendance.

Mr Smith, who was born in St Neots, is one of six children and has served in both the army and the Royal Air Force; the latter of which he did for 23 years.

Mr Smith lived in Croxden during his teenage years before working in brick yards and at steel works in Bedford.

He met his wife, Mona, while he was working on milk floats in Brampton and they wed at Fenstanton Church in 1944; a marriage which lasted more than 60 years.

Soon after the wedding, Mr Smith left for Egypt with the army, working in the Middle East for two-and-a-half years and then at Royal Air Force Wyton.

As a member of the ground crew, Mr Smith re-fuelled aircraft and even occasionally tanked up the Red Arrows.

Despite being a centenarian, Mr Smith still tends his garden and prepares his own meals, and he even keeps in touch with family using his iPad. He is no stranger to Facebook and is also a dab hand with messaging service, WhatsApp.

Mr Smith’s nephew, Simon Clark, said: “You would think at 103 that he’d be relaxing in a care home but he still makes his own meals and still enjoys a Guinness. He hasn’t spent more than a week of his life in hospital and doesn’t take any medication. He is probably healthier than most of us!”

And Mr Smith’s secret to living beyond 100?

“I think it’s down to good living for a start,” he said. “And you’ve got to keep having a bottle of Guinness every now and again. I think that’s the main thing.”