A magnificent 107th for Arthur!

There were celebrations galore for Sanctuary Care’s second oldest resident, Arthur Steel, who has turned 107.

Arthur had a fabulous day at Beach Lawns Residential and Nursing Home in Weston-super-Mare, where his long list of visitors included representatives from the Scouts King’s Guard, who presented him with a special pin, as well as the Mayor of Weston-super-Mare, Councillor John Crockford-Hawley.

Arthur, who has lived at Beach Lawns for nine years, said: “It was a lovely surprise to see everyone and I was very happy to be awarded the Scouts pin. I am very happy at Beach Lawns and am very grateful that the team did this for my birthday.”

Arthur has had a remarkable life history – during the Second World War he was a radio operator and navigator in the RAF. In 1944 he was aboard an aircraft that went down over a North Sea minefield on a mission in Norway – he was the only survivor.

A nearby fishing trawler spotted Arthur in the water and tied a rope around his waist and rescued him. He spent seven long months recovering from his injuries in hospital, before returning home.

Arthur enjoys a much more relaxed pace today and said his biggest pleasures are “reading lots of books and enjoying the sea view from my bedroom window. I’m very happy here and the staff are lovely.”

Home manager Rachel Miller said: “We are very proud to be celebrating another incredible milestone with Arthur and are honoured to have him with us at here at Beach Lawns. He is an incredible gentleman with a fascinating history, and we learn something from him every day!”

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