William Wright Staples believed to be Lancashire's oldest man receives over 500 cards for 108th birthday

William (Billy) Staples who turned 108 on Monday (December 11) was shocked to receive a deluge of cards to High Cliffe Residential Home, Preston Road, Whittle-le-Woods, from kind-hearted members of the public who wanted to wish him well on his birthday.

Staff at the care home wanted to make his birthday extra special this year and placed a Facebook post asking for people to send him a card as a surprise, that he adores children and for any teacher friends to maybe help sort a classroom project.

A spokesperson for the care home said: “Well, a big thank you from Billy for all his cards for his 108th birthday. He was absolutely over the moon and he received 500+ cards.

“Billy has had a very busy day celebrating and enjoyed reading and listening to your birthday wishes.”

As a youngster he lived in Shaw near Oldham and often worked in the Mills with his older sisters. William then went on to live in Birmingham, working at the Bakerlite Factory, before relocating to Horwich where he was a hairdresser for a while.

He met his late wife Doreen, whom he was separated from during the war, he joined the RAF and was stationed in Possilpark, Glasgow.

William would hitch a lift back to Lancashire to see her whenever he could and it was during the war they married in a simple ceremony. In his younger years, he courted Doreen at the Winters Gardens in Blackpool and has many fond memories of this time.

Up until age 101 when Doreen passed away, he was her carer. Then until William was 105 he lived alone pottering around his village on the outskirts of Chorley, however he is now a popular resident at a care home in Whittle Le Woods and continues to surprise everyone with his witty sense of humour.

His best piece of advice is to ‘Keep people on their toes with a bit of mischief in your life.’