Ageing Irene Avison has said the only present she would like for her 104th birthday is a man – but doesn’t want any “funny business”.
Irene, also known as Mary, said she’d like a toy boy about 30 years her junior so she could take her out for meals and trips to the theatre.
Mrs Avison, who celebrated the impressive age last week, was born at the New Inn in Yeadon, Leeds, West Yorks., and later worked in her uncle Ben Brown’s greengrocers.
She said: “During the First World War, soldiers would come into the pub, put me on a chair and I’d sing ‘It’s a long way to Tipperary’.
“My secret to a long life is dripping on bread with Marmite.
“I have lived all my life on dripping and bread, it’s my favourite thing to eat, I always enjoyed a tipple but now only enjoy a hot cup of tea with plenty of sugar.”
Mrs Avison married Percy, who died aged 64, and she had one son named Roy who also sadly died, at the age of 59.
She now lives at Anchor’s Ashcroft care home in Undercliffe, Bradford, West Yorks.
Manager Emma Ciccone said Mrs Avison is a lovely person who enjoys watching musicals and chatting.
