A SPECIAL lunch was held in a Worcester residential home to celebrate the long tenure of a 93-year-old resident.

Jimmy Carter was still president of the United States and Margaret Thatcher had only been in 10 Downing Street for just a year when Jack Pritchard moved into Abbeyfield, in Green Hill, Worcester.

That was 25 years ago at the start of the 1980s and Mr Pritchard says he has never regretted the decision.

Keeping fit and active, he is Verger at St John's Church, on the other side of the river, and sings in the choir each Sunday.

He enjoys being independent, but at the same time being part of the Abbeyfield community, so that he is never lonely.

"And the food is excellent - could not be better," he said, complimenting Carole Stirling and her catering staff.

Mr Pritchard was born at Old Northwick, Worcester, in June 1912, joined Claines church choir when he was nine and went on to sing with the Festival Choral Society.

He became a director of Porter's Mill, near Droitwich, where he worked for 35 years and was a prize-winning begonia grower and Royal Horticultural Society judge.

Guests at his anniversary lunch included the national chairman of Abbeyfield, Ron Kenyon and the Abbeyfield Worcester president, Coun Allah Ditta.