FRED Brown is still fighting fit and leading an independent life in his own home at the amazing age of 103 - thanks largely to meals-on-wheels. So Fred, who lives in Great Lever, was the obvious choice for a visit from Bolton social services chairman Cllr Ken Peters to mark the extension of the borough's meals-on-wheels service. The service has been extended from two days a week to five days and £27,000 has spent on new kitchens to prepare all the extra food.

Cllr Peters said: "Mr Brown has been one of our best customers for years - so we chose him as the ideal person to demonstrate the value of the service."

Meals, which cost £1.30 a day for a main course and pudding, are delivered by social services drivers assisted by WRVS volunteers.

The latest expansion means that the number of meals cooked has increased from 800 to 2,600 a week.

Added to the food prepared for the borough's luncheon clubs, it means that Bolton's community kitchens are now producing more than 3,000 meals a week.

And the service is set to expand again.

Within the next few weeks, a pilot scheme is to start in which frozen meals will be delivered for housebound people to enjoy at weekends when the hot meals service is not available.

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