RETIRED engineer Reginald Small celebrated his 100th birthday with a special visit from Mayor David Powell on Sunday.

As well as visits from his family members, Mr Small also enjoyed a cake from staff at the Cepen Lodge care home on West Cepen Way in Chippenham.

Born in Bath on October 25, 1915, the youngest of five children, Mr Small has a single son, Mervyn, and daughter, Annette, one grandson Alex and two great grandchildren Lucy and Olly.

On leaving school, Mr Small worked at Maringers Engineering and Stothert and Pitt before spending 30 years at New Mendip Engineering Works in Atworth, near Melksham where he worked on hydraulic under carriage units for aircrafts.

Upon retirement at the age of 65, Mr Small continued to offer his engineering services to small firms in and around Bath, working in one capacity or another well into his 80s.

Son Mervyn Small, 72, of Bath, said: “He worked every day of his life. He was very clever at building and if anything didn’t work he would make it work, it was a gift if something didn’t work he would mend it.

“He drove his brother up to London once, dropped him off then somewhere in the Newbury area the clutch plate went. He went into chemist asked for some cork and repaired it on the side of the road and carried on.”

Mr Small moved into Cepen Lodge just over a year ago and celebrated his birthday on Sunday with his family.