A WAR veteran plans to waltz his way to his 100th birthday and says that faith, fun, family support and fitness is the secret behind living to the momentous age.

Hugh Gascoyne, from Credenhill, will turn 100 on Monday and will celebrate the momentous occasion with a party being attended by over a hundred relatives and friends.

Hugh says that music and faith still play a big part in his life and that he still took daily walks up Credenhill up until the age of 90.

He added: "I'm very musical and have been singing ever since I was a boy.

"I used to sit by the piano when my sisters were playing and learnt to play that and the organ. I have always eaten good farm food and had five brothers and five sisters but I'm the only one left now.

"I am a Christian and my faith is very important to me.

"If the preacher is missing and I was in the congregation then I would take the service."

The former Royal Air Force member, who joined the services at 18 was serving in Iraq when the Second World War broke out before moving with his with 55 Squadron into Egypt and Lybia.

"I went off my food but was determined to stick it out and so for many years," said Hugh.

"We had to stay abroad longer and were supposed to spend three years but actually did five due the outbreak of war.

"During the war the locals had ran away from their homes but left behind their hens so because I had grown up on a farm and knew which ones would lay eggs.

"I took them and they laid eggs for the boys. You can take the boy out of the farm but it doesn't leave the boy even amidst war."

Hugh returned home to war time England in 1941 via South Africa in an unescorted troopship named 'The Monarch of Bermuda', thought to be relatively safe because its speed was sufficient to avoid German enemy torpedoes.

In 1945 Mr Gasgoyne arrived at RAF Kirkham, the same day as WRAF member Mary Northrop from Barnsley in Yorkshire.

They were together nearly 60 years before Mary died 11 years ago.

Hugh became a Supply Civilian Instructor at RAF Hereford in 1965, until retirement in 1981 after serving 47 years.

Despite being nearly 100 years old he still remembers his RAF number 517945.

Hugh's daughter Lynda Clifton, who is also his primary carer praised the Hospital at Home service who helping her father after he suffered a stroke close to Christmas last year.

Lynda said: "Hospital at Home looked after him for eight weeks, gave him physio and gave him a set of exercises each day which he did every hour.

"By Easter he had the regular use of the left side of his body and could walk on his own again. The nurses called him their little Easter miracle.

"The nurses also helped me to come to terms with his diagnosis of dementia while supporting dad."

Hugh's children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will be amongst the people who are coming from far and wide to celebrate his birthday on Sunday with a party at Hope City Church.

Lynda added: "There will be food, singing and dad is looking forward to doing the little waltz to Vera Lynne's song 'We'll meet again.' at his party.

"He remembers Vera Lynn coming to sing to the troops out in the western desert, so it's very appropriate, after all this time that the party will be finishing off the celebrations with this song."

Hugh will receive a birthday cake made by the army to celebrate the occasion.