AGONY uncle Eric Woodward who gives dating tips to teenagers in a men s magazine has just celebrated his 101st birthday. Eric, of St Matthews Care Home, Redbourn, celebrated his birthday for two days with the other 50 residents and his family after turni

AGONY uncle Eric Woodward who gives dating tips to teenagers in a men's magazine has just celebrated his 101st birthday.

Eric, of St Matthews Care Home, Redbourn, celebrated his birthday for two days with the other 50 residents and his family after turning 101 last Friday.

He writes a column for the popular young men's magazine FHM. They recruited four 100-year-olds dubbed the "Centurions" to give advice to young men on the basis that they have greater life experience.

Eric has given tips on marriages, travelling, domestic problems, and he has talked of life as a boy in India in 1911 where his father was posted as a soldier.

During his working life, Eric was employed at Luton Airport.

He said he will continue to write his magazine column.

FHM staff writer Andrew Hankinson explained that one of the reasons they chose Eric was because there were not many 100-year-old men around although there were plenty of women of that age.

They found Eric after reading articles about him in the local press and he seemed to be very active and was in good enough shape to offer advice every month.

The column was serious, he added, and their Centurions gave some very good advice because they had lived through experiences that no younger person would ever see.

"How many of us can say we spent nine years in India following soldier fathers?" he pointed out.