106-year-old RAF veteran lays claim as 'Britain's oldest Facebook user'

An RAF veteran has laid claim as 'Britain's oldest Facebook user' - aged 106.

Sprightly David Smith logs on every morning to watch viral videos and message friends.

He created his profile in 2017 and still enjoys checking Facebook daily on his iPhone and iPad.

The RAF serviceman said the most enjoys watching trending videos of wartime planes and seeing what his pals are up to.

David, from Fenstanton, Cambs, said: "I get up first thing in the morning and see if anyone's sent any messages on Facebook.

"The best thing is getting in contact with different people. It keeps you young and alert.

"I don't post much on Facebook but I do like to see if anyone's got anything for sale on there.

"I ask my sister-in-law to get in touch with people selling things for me as I don't know how to do it."

David, who lives independently after his wife Mona passed following after 60 years of marriage, served with the British Army in Egypt before working at RAF Wyton, where he stayed for 23 years.

While David grew up using letters and the telephone to keep in touch with friends, he said that he prefers Facebook.

David said: "There wasn't anything like this in my early days. The only contact you had was by telephone or letter.

"You had nothing like Facebook. It's so easy to get in contact with my friends.

"I still use the telephone and letters sometimes - I have some people in America who I hear from on special occasions."

David celebrated his 106th birthday last Saturday (Apr 9) and has since claimed that he is Britain's oldest Facebook user.

His profile boasts 11 friends - mostly his close family - as well as a profile picture of him holding a card sent by the Queen on his birthday.

David's nephew Simon Clark has launched a social media appeal to see if anyone beats his uncle to the record.

Simon said: "He set up his own Facebook account. He likes looking at aviation videos.

"I don't know how many people are older than him in the country let alone on Facebook itself.

"He's very independent. He cooks for himself and is as healthy as he could be."