THE VIRUS IN BRIEF

A 99-YEAR-OLD is believed to be the oldest person in the UK to recover from coronavirus and her family have jokingly put it down to her love of marmalade sandwiches.

Great-grandmother Rita Reynolds fell ill last week. After she tested positive for Covid-19, relatives were told to expect the worst and end-of-life drugs were ordered at her care home in Stockport. But against all odds

Rita, right and

below, fought back and started to pull through on Thursday.

Grandson

Henry Phillips, 37, said: “I was certain that was it for her. I didn’t think there was any way she would recover from it. I don’t know how she got through it. I don’t think she has ever eaten a vegetable or fruit.

She lives on marmalade sandwiches and biscuits, but she’s had a terrible diet her entire life.

She’s always just eaten chocolates and biscuits. But she has never smoked or really drank.”

Rita, who served as a driver for the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in the Second World War, was born on the Isle of Man and married to Ralph.

The couple had three children, four grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.

REAL ales with a short shelf life are being poured down the drain. Phil Cutter, of The Murderers pub in Norwich, says if lockdown lasts three months his longer-lasting keg lagers and beers will also go.

He said that “wastage is sad but to see that quantity thrown down the drain is even sadder”.

Normally, disposal must be overseen by the brewery to avoid paying duty but due to the virus publicans’ video is being accepted by tax officials as proof.

Real ale group Camra called it “a shame” but said disposal was essential to avoid clogged lines in pubs.

EAMONN Holmes says the lockdown proves all over-75s should keep their free TV licences.

A rule from June restricting the benefit to those on Pension Credit has been delayed until August to help the elderly cope with isolation.

But This Morning star Eamonn, 60, said: “If the Government really cared about the over-75s, a small step would be to not just delay the charge coming for their BBC licence fee but to scrap it altogether.

“In these isolationist times, the principle of free viewing for them has never been so important.”

The BBC said it will “keep the issue under review”. The new rules mean four million over-75s will have to pay £157.50 a year with only 1.5 million eligible for a free licence.