A WWII veteran celebrating his 106th birthday has revealed the secret to his long life.
Great-great grandfather Leslie Lemon, from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England, eats custard every day.
His current favorite treat is rhubarb and custard — but is also partial to trifle and custard — and prefers his sweet treat cold.
He celebrated his 106th birthday this week, having been born on July 1, 1919.
“The secret to a long life is custard. Rhubarb from the garden and custard,” Lemon, a corporal in WWII, said.
“I eat it every day. I prefer it cold. It’s nice in a trifle. You can’t beat it.
“I usually have the powder but I’ve got a ready made Ambrosia in the pantry for emergencies.
“You should always have a pudding.”
Lemon has now been retired for longer than he worked — having worked as an “office boy” for Inland Revenue, now HM Revenue & Customs until he was 60 in 1979.
He served as a corporal, from 1939 to 1946, throughout WWII and received the Légion d’honneur medal from the French government five years ago.
“I don’t feel older at all,” said the great-great-grandfather of two.
“I’ve got no aches and pains. I don’t take any tablets or medications. I never see a doctor.”
Lemon, who has eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, said his second favorite food was fish and fries.
“You can put custard with apples, gooseberries, any fruit from the garden,” he added.
For his 100th birthday, he was given his own custard jug from the brand Bird’s.
He has received three cards from royalty which sit on his mantle — a letter from Queen Elizabeth II on his 100th birthday and two from King Charles and Camilla for his 105th and 106th birthdays.
As for his advice for growing older, Lemon, originally from Ealing, London, said: “Everything in moderation.
“I’m so lucky and I’m quite happy.
“The thing that has changed the most is video calls. I can’t work it myself. I’m a bit old fashioned.”
Lemon married his wife Doreen in 1944 and remained together until her death in 1999.
They had three children — Michael, Mary and Richard — but Mary sadly died from hepatitis caused by polluted seawater when she was ten.
“When we were growing up, we always had fresh fruit and veg — no one froze things in the 50s,” youngest son Richard, 73, said.
“Dad is a believer in that you should always have pudding and he’s had custard as long as I can remember.”
Lemon has also been honored with a year’s supply of free custard from Asda, a British supermarket chain.
“We’ll all be taking a leaf out of Mr Lemon’s book and enjoying more custard going forward, we hope he enjoys a free year’s supply on us,” an Asda spokesperson said.
“When life gives you lemons add custard!”
Lemon’s family said: “He’s absolutely delighted. He’ll probably put it all under his bed.”
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