A WAR veteran celebrated his 100th birthday in style surrounded by family and friends at Penarth Pier Pavilion.

William Ledbury, who spoke to the Penarth Times last week about his time as a prisoner of war in World War 2, said he had been looking forward to celebrating.

He said he was most excited to meet a representative from the Red Cross, who was his guest of honour, as the group liberated the prisoner camp he was in.

“If it hadn’t have been for the Red Cross, I wouldn’t be here today,” said Mr Ledbury. “The Red Cross is very special to me and I am very grateful to them.”

Mr Ledbury received a card from The Queen and met the Penarth mayor and mayoress Jon Luxton and Jasna Colak.

Mr Ledbury’s daughter Cherryl Hubbard said: “It was so nice to see the wide smile my dad gave when Robert Purnell arrived at his 100th birthday party on Penarth Pier Pavilion.

“Rob works for the British Red Cross and was there for dad after a stint in hospital last year. A visit from Rob was much appreciated.

“Also during Dad’s war years they relied on the British Red Cross parcels. There was not much food about in the prisoner of war camps so the arrival of food parcels meant so much to so many.”