A GREAT grandfather is celebrating his 100th birthday with his wife. . . who turns 100 in November.

Centenarian Harold Allgood has received a telegram from the Queen and it is not long before his wife Lucy receives hers.

The couple, who have been married for 77 years and live in Weymouth, celebrated the landmark with their family at the Wishing Well in Upwey.

Mr and Mrs Allgood's marriage is only three years short of the country's longest, according to the Guinness Book of Records.

The record is held by Percy Arrowsmith, 105, and his wife Florence, 100, from Hereford.

Four generations joined Mr Allgood for his birthday celebrations. The guests included the couple's three sons, David, 73, Richard, 70, and Phillip, 62, seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

Daughter-in-law Pamela Allgood said: "A while back I remember my father-in-law saying he couldn't believe he had three sons who were over 50. Well now, he has a couple of grandchildren approaching 50."

Mr Allgood has been visiting the Wishing Well for his birthday and wedding anniversary, for the past few years.

Family members travelled from all over southern England to join the couple in Weymouth.

Mrs Allgood said: "It was lovely to see all of the family."

Despite reaching the age of 100, Mr Allgood, who used to be in the navy, still lives at with his wife in their own home in Weymouth.

Pamela Allgood, who is married to Richard Allgood, said she thought it was quite unique that the devoted couple were still living at home and looking after themselves.

Although both Mr and Mrs Allgood are from Weymouth, where they first met, they married on July 14 1928 in Plymouth, Devon.

Mr Allgood's birthday was not the first time they had a letter from the Queen.

They received their first telegram when celebrating their diamond wedding in 1988.

They lived in Walton-on-Thames before finally returning to settle in Weymouth in 1991.

Mrs Allgood still likes to cook and until a couple of years ago Mr Allgood enjoyed tending the garden.

His sense of humour is also still very much intact, he said: "The secret to our age? Well, we fight every morning."

Housewife Mrs Allgood offered another reason. She said: "Sheer happiness - we are very happy and content."