ROLY Colledge toasted his 100th birthday, not with champagne, but with a few glasses of his favourite tipple - cider.

Mr Colledge, from Durham City, reckons the apple brew is the much sought after secret to a long life.

"I've been lucky enough to enjoy good health for most of my life and have never drunk spirits but have always enjoyed cider," he said. A talented musician Mr Colledge, who lives at Cheveley Park House in Belmont, was a bit of a local celebrity when he was younger. He played the violin professionally in a number of big bands mainly in the Hartlepool area. Born in Barnard Castle on December 23, 1900 he moved to Hartlepool in 1919 and then to Newcastle a few years later before retiring in Durham aged 72.

He served in the First World War in the Merchant Navy and in the Second World War looked after people in air raid shelters. In peacetime he spent most of his working life in the timber and building trade.

He was married to his wife Susan for more than 50 years. They had two sons and daughter, but tragically his daughter and one of his sons died aged just 12 months and five years, the daughter from measles and the son from whooping cough.

His surviving son Russell lives in Spain but returned to the North-East to join in his father's celebrations.

Staff told how Mr Colledge is the oldest regular at the nearest Chinese takeaway.