105-year-old West Sussex woman gives top tip for longer life – and it's an easy thing for most

Rita Pfeiffer received congratulations from the King and Queen as she celebrated her birthday at Greystoke Manor in Ferring, where she has lived for about six years.

She said: “I was always told that walking was the best exercise, more than anything. Just keep walking. I can recommend it to keep going. You can walk as long as you want and stop when you want. You meet a lot of people. It keeps you fit and your body in shape.

“I have always played golf, so I have done a lot of walking. I was a member of Wyke Green Golf Club in London. I used to play fairly frequently, two or three times a week, so I did quite a bit of walking and that might help to keep you fit.”

Rita was born at home in St John's Wood on May 23, 1921, but her family soon moved to Southend due to her father's job as a chef and she was brought up there.

She enjoyed art and English at school but was not so good with figures, making her first job as a cashier at a tailors difficult. Rita then worked for the civil service in London as a typist.

She met her husband, Gerhard Pfeiffer, through her younger brother, Max Jufer, and has one daughter, Ingrid.

Rita said: “My father was Swiss and I married a German. My brother brought him home and it went from there. I thought we were going to live in Germany, so I gave my daughter a German name but it didn't work out like that. I wanted to come back to England and my husband was happy to do so.”

The family moved to Acton, to live near Rita's parents. As well as golf, Rita enjoyed playing bridge and gardening, which she misses.

These days, Rita likes to watch documentaries on television. Her favourite meal is roast lamb and her favourite tipple is whisky and ginger ale.