HE is still one of the sharpest minds out there and beats his son at crunching numbers on Countdown – even after hitting the landmark age of 100.

Family and friends celebrated Sam Brice’s birthday in style at his son’s Steve’s home in Holland Road, Totton.

Sam, who lives at a care home in Bassett, was born in Bloxwich near Walsall in 1915 and spent most of his working life in the West Midlands where he was a works manager in the manufacturing industry.

He married wife Edna in October 1939 and served as a staff sergeant (see below) in the Second World War in India, where he was stationed in Calcutta as part of an elite group of soldiers called Force 136.

Daily Echo:

Sam and Edna (see below) were married for 74 years. Edna passed away last year.

Daily Echo:

The couple had two sons, Roger, 69 and Steve, 63, and three grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Steve said he believed his father’s old age was down to a happy marriage.

He said: “I think it is something in his character but I think the marriage has something to do with it.

“He still enjoys a glass of sherry and smokes his pipe.

“He is pretty intelligent, he always watches Countdown in the afternoon and he always gets things right on the numbers.

“For a guy of his age he is mentally very sharp.”