LONDON: A woman who will celebrate her 105th birthday today has attributed her long life to celibacy and staying single. Ms Clara Meadmore, a retired secretary, who still has her own hair, teeth and sharp wit, never had time for a family and lived alone until going into care.

'I've always had lots of platonic friendships with men but never felt the need to go further than that or marry,' she was quoted as saying in The Telegraph newspaper on Thursday. Ms Meadmore, who was born in Glasgow and lived in Canada and New Zealand before settling in Cornwall 40 years ago, also added that she had never had any interest in sex.

'I imagine there is a lot of hassle involved, and I have always been busy doing other things.

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