FRESH farm food and a healthy lifestyle are the secrets behind a long life for Iffley man Frederick Clapton.

Mr Clapton, known to friends and family as Charles, celebrated his 102nd birthday yesterday at Iffley Residential and Nursing Home.

The former West Oxfordshire farmer was joined by his family to mark the occasion, with staff also joining the party.

Asked the secret to his long life he said: "Not having done anything foolish.

"That combined with good health, eating good quality, farm-produced food all my life, drinking very little alcohol and absolutely no smoking."

Mr Clapton was born in 1914 and grew up on the family farm in Alvescot, where he lived until 1969.

He attended Alvescot Primary School and Witney Grammar School – now known as The Henry Box School – until he was 15.

During the Second World War he served in the Home Guard.

In 1944 Mr Clapton married Kathleen Saunders at St Mary's Church in Witney and they went on to have two children – David and Sally.

Mrs Clapton passed away in 1988 and some years later Mr Clapton met up with an old girlfriend, Jane Hardy.

The two later married in Abingdon until Jane died at the age of 93 in 2012 and the following year Mr Clapton was one of the first people to move into the care home in Iffley.

Home manager Sue Stubberfield said: "Charles is a lovely, gentle-mannered man.

"He is a big part of our home and we are all honoured to be celebrating such a special birthday with him and his lovely family."