'Whisky and 15 cigarettes a day is the secret of my good health' says Dorothy as she celebrates her 100th birthday (with a glass of her favourite tipple, of course)



Hardy pensioner Dorothy Howe has reached her 100th birthday - despite smoking nearly half a million cigarettes during her life.

The retired secretary took her first drag aged 16 and has puffed her way through 15 Superking Black ciggies every day since then.

She has smoked around 460,000 cigarettes over the last 84 years - costing £193,000 at today’s prices.

100-year old Dorothy Howe puts her longevity down to her love of cigarettes and whisky

But despite the obvious health risks, Dorothy believes smoking is the secret to her old age - and a regular drop of whisky.

Relaxing with her favourite tipple of Bell’s, she said: 'I put my health down to whisky and cigarettes. I only drink when I’m out but my doctor said I wouldn’t be alive without them.

'I’m still alive and I can lift my elbows - it’s great. I’ve had a great life and God has treated me very well. I’ve been very lucky.'

Childless Dot, who still lives in her own home in Saltdean, East Sussex, worked as an assistant to the chairman of Martin's newsagents.

She lost her husband of 26 years Peter to cancer in 1993, when he was just 60 years old, and has lived alone ever since.

'I keep telling myself that I'm going to quit smoking when they put the prices up, but that's just not going to happen now,' she said.

Dorothy celebrated her 100th birthday with friends and a few glasses of her favourite drink before returning to open her card from the Queen

'When I started smoking, I was about 16, and they cost 11d and a halfpenny for 20. I can't believe how much they cost now. Whisky tastes just as good as it used to though. My pins aren't as fast as they used to be, but my mind is still sharp.'

On her milestone birthday, friends took Dot to her local pub where she had a couple of drinks before returning home to open her card from the Queen. Friend Lynn Sass said: 'She has the respect and friendship of a lot of people around here. She's wonderful and a great character.