AT the age of 101, John Wilson has been dazzling fellow dancers with his moves for years.

But what not many know is that Mr Wilson’s love of dancing was sparked aged 14 when he would watch Fred Astaire and his sister Adele on the dance floor at the Piccadilly Hotel in London.

Mr Wilson, who turned 101 on Monday, celebrated his big birthday with a party at Broadstone Conservative Club attended by dance friends and family members.

The grandfather of three of Claremont Avenue, Charminster, and dance partner Dulcie Dalton danced together for 25 years and won competitions in hotels during holidays to Spain, before Mr Wilson hung up his dance shoes for good in April this year.

Mr Wilson worked all over the world as a cinema manager and later came to live in Bournemouth, where he ran a men’s clothes shop.

He met fellow dance enthusiast Dulcie at a dance at Bournemouth Pavilion.

Mr Wilson said: “When I was a pageboy at the Piccadilly Hotel in London I used to have to take the mail down to a chappie who was a good dancer and danced with his sister. His name was Fred Astaire. In the end they sacked me because I spent so much time below watching them. It was absolutely fabulous.”

As a 16-year-old Mr Wilson was ordered to take a radio to Number 10 Downing Street when Neville Chamberlain was Prime Minister.

He remembers: “The Prime Minister had just returned after a visit with Hitler. When I got there the bloke said I should have a look around because I’d never get another opportunity.”

And what is the secret of a long and happy life? “To keep happily working. The more you learn, the more you earn,” he said.