Care home deluged with cards for Jack Annall's 101st birthday

Jack Annall will celebrate his 101st birthday next week

A man who is about to celebrate his 101st birthday has been sent hundreds of cards and gifts after an appeal by staff at the care home where he lives.

Jack Annall, from Halifax, was disappointed that his daughter Mary was unable to visit him from Australia.

When care home manager Vicky Gudgin appealed for cards to be sent to Mr Annall, over 500 people responded.

On his birthday next Thursday he will also be treated to a brass band concert and receive a visit from the RAF.

• More stories from around Yorkshire

Mr Annall was originally from Carlisle but he moved to Bradford, West Yorkshire, and he married his late wife, May.

Their daughter, Mary, now lives in Sydney and has not been to the UK for more than three years, in part due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Cards and gifts have mounted up at the care home in Halifax

The centenarian worked as a joiner, but also served in the RAF during World War Two.

He has video calls with his daughter twice a week and his niece also visits once a week, but he has no grandchildren.

Mrs Gudgin said: "I knew he was feeling a little bit down about not being able to see his daughter and I thought, what can we do to lift his spirits?

"I thought, let's get the community involved and the extent it has is incredible."

She initially asked other care homes in the area to send cards, but when the appeal was shared on social media, hundreds arrived from around the world.

Mr Annall and his wife May lived in Bradford, West Yorkshire

So far, up to 500 people have responded to the appeal for help celebrating Mr Annall's birthday