The secret to a long life? Get a toyboy 33 years younger!

A woman celebrating her 100th birthday has revealed the secret of her long life – getting herself a toyboy 33 years her junior.

Daisy Dunnett was already married with three children when her second husband David was born.

And when her first husband Frank died after 50 years of marriage she thought she would end her days as a lonely widow.

But months later at the age of 72 she met carpenter David – then aged 39 – when he moved into a flat above hers in Attleborough, Norfolk.

They began chatting over neighbourly cups of tea and romance blossomed a second time.

The pair courted for nine years before bachelor David popped the question and they married on Daisy’s 82nd birthday.

Eighteen years on they are still happily together and Daisy credits David, now 67, as the reason she has reached her centenary in such good shape.

And even though her children are all older than David the couple say their age gap has never been an issue.

Daisy, a former shop assistant who has five great-grandchildren, said: “Meeting David and falling in love was just one of those things.

“He moved into the flat above me and one day he said he was going to cut his grass and said he would do mine too.

“Then we had a coffee together and it went from there.

“It was wonderful – he was the perfect gentleman from the start.”

She added: “I thought I would never find love again after Frank died but David just happened into my life.

“I really think I would be dead if it was not for him. If you’re elderly and on your own it is easy to give up and not feed yourself properly.

“My legs have gone now from spending my working life standing up in the shop so David does all the cooking and looks after me.

“He gives me a reason to enjoy life to the full.”

David, who had not been married before, said: “I was just a local lad looking for a partner when I found Daisy.

“We had been together for a little while and I didn’t know what to get Daisy for her birthday so I just said ‘Why don’t we get married’ so we did.

“We had a lovely service on Daisy’s 82nd birthday.

“She’s just like she has always been. She’s very sharp. We enjoy days out together all the time.

“Her legs aren’t that good anymore, but apart from that she’s fine.

“The age gap has never been an issue with us. We always just loved each other and that was all that mattered.”

Daisy celebrated her landmark birthday last Sunday with her two daughters and son, three grandchildren and three of her five great-grandchildren.

She was particularly delighted to see her daughter Susan, 40, and granddaughter Nicole who came over from Canada.

London-born Daisy first married at the age of 22 when she wed childhood sweetheart Frank Pitchers.

During World War II she worked part-time in a munitions factory but spent most of her working life at Harvey Nicols’ flagship London store until she retired at 60.

She and David now live in Diss, Norfolk and are keen travellers, visiting numerous countries such as Canada, Egypt and Portugal.

They also enjoy regular days at the beach in Great Yarmouth.