30 July 2023 , 06:16
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A 100-year-old gran claims that her secret is drinking full fat Coca Cola and coffee heaped with six teaspoons sugar. Maud Johnson says she drinks at least 24 cans of the fizzy drink a week - totalling 400 litres every year.
The busy great-gran goes out socialising around four times a week, has been enjoying the drink for around 23 years and walks quicker than some 20 years her junior. "I don't know when I started drinking coke but I just drink it all day," Maud, who is a mum-of two, grandma to two more and great-gran to three, said. "Either that or coffee."
Friend Diane Brimmell told Birmingham Live: "It's well known that Maud drinks 24 cans of Coke a week, has six sugars in her Cappuccinos and likes red wine too. For at least the past 23 years, she's been drinking coca cola like that, probably much longer.
Maud with her son Gordon at her 100th birthday celebrations"But she walks quicker than some of the people 20 years younger than her and won't use a zimmer frame or wheelchair. Whenever you ask her, 'how are you Maud?' she says 'I'm living, darling, I'm living'. "She's amazing for 100 and keeps active. Maybe the coke helps with it all, you never know."
Turning 100 on Wednesday Maud, from Redditch, celebrated with her favourite tipple but also pushed the boat out with a Baileys too. Her local Tesco's Extra store even donated cakes and a bottle of sherry for a bash with family and friends at Studley's Entaco Sports and Social Club.
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Despite once living in the tea growing region of India during World War Two, where her husband Arthur was stationed as a soldier, Maud loves her sugary drinks but never touches tea.
She's lived in the same house in Redditch since 1947 although her husband died in the 1990s. She spent most of her career working as secretary to the personnel manager at iconic Herbert Terry and Sons factory, known affectionately in Redditch as Terry's Springs.
Son Gordon Johnson, 80, said all the family were coffee drinkers, which may be why his mum liked Coke so much. "Despite living in India, where I was born, in the heart of tea plantation country, none of us drink tea. It's all coffee for us," Gordon added.
"She had a lovely birthday and got a telegram from King Charles and we ran out of vases by the afternoon from all the flowers."