Harold Page of Hethersett Hall celebrates 100th birthday

Harold Page, a resident at Hethersett Hall, near Norwich, welcomed dozens of babies and children to a party at the care home. 

He was also greeted with hundreds of cards from the community to mark the special occasion. 

Mr Page, who was born on September 2, 1923, lived in East Anglia for most of his life. 

The Second World War broke out within days of his 16th birthday.

When he turned 18, he joined the Royal Air Force where he trained as a navigator in the USA and Canada and saw active service in Wellington airplanes.

In 1949, Mr Page married Barbara and they had two children; Judith and Peter. The family has since expanded to include five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. 

After the war, Mr Page set up a successful business in Ipswich selling electrical goods and became actively involved in the national trade association for electrical reltailers. 

The couple were lifelong caravanners and family holidays were spent exploding the UK, before France and Spain.

Mrs Page died seven years ago, before Mr Page moved to Hethersett Hall last year.

Many years ago, Mr Page shared with his family a story about a time when he was a young man and a gypsy read his palm and told him he would live to be 100. 

Mr Page celebrated his birthday on Friday, September 1 in the company of Little Visitors from Norfolk-based charity, Friend in Deed.

Speaking after the party, managing director Kelly Lindsay, said: "It is so important that older people living in care homes aren’t forgotten about and that we remind them that they are still part of our communities.  

"Children of all ages make such a big difference when visiting care homes, or by getting involved in our other intergenerational schemes such as pen pal projects, online quizzes with care homes and more."  

Mr Page was also presented with a cake, baked by one of the Little Visitor mothers.