A LIFE-LONG Waltham Forest resident who spent his career making wedding cakes for thousands of happy couples in the borough has celebrated his 100th birthday.

Samuel John Drake marked the occasion with his family and a special cake of his own at Aston Grange Care Home in Forest Road, Walthamstow.

Mr Drake is a keen sports fan who attended the first ever greyhound race at Walthamstow Stadium and used to regularly walk from E17 and back to watch his favourite team Tottenham Hotspur in his younger days.

He was born at his family home in Beresford Road, Walthamstow, growing up with six siblings and attended Chapel End School.

After a career spent entirely in the borough as a master baker specialising in wedding cakes, he retired in 1979, by which time he was living in Falmouth Avenue, Highams Park, with his wife Kit.

A widower since 1986, Mr Drake has lived at Aston Grange for the last three years.