SOURCE: The Sun


Britain's oldest virgin who celebrates her 105th birthday this weekend says no sex is the secret to her long life.

Having known she would remain single from the age of twelve, Clara Meadmore abstained to concentrate on earning a living.

She has never had sex because she was "too busy" for intimate relationships which seemed like "a lot of hassle".

The retired secretary said sex equalled marriage in the 1920s and 1930s and she did not buy into the idea.

She says she is proud of remaining a virgin.

"People have asked whether I am a homosexual and the answer is no. I have just never been interested in or fancied having sex," Clara said.

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

"I've never had a boyfriend - I've never been bothered about relationships. When I was a girl you only had sex with your husband and I never married.

"I've always had lots of platonic friendships with men but never felt the need to go further than that or marry.

"I made my mind up at the age of 12 never to marry and I've not gone back on that."

But Clara was never a girl short of marriage proposals and despite "offers" she turned them all down.

"I grew up in an era where little girls were to be seen and not heard so I had to learn to stand up for myself and earn my own living," she said.

"Some men don't like that in a woman and before long I was too old to marry anyway."

Instead of looking after a husband, Clara took up reading, gardening, walking, cooking and listening to Radio 4's Woman's Hour.