Percy Norton celebrates his 100th birthday Percy Norton was hit by a shell in Normandy, France and suffered injuries to his abdomen, spleen and lung He was sent home to die and spent 13 months in hospital but remarkably he survived against all odds The former butcher puts his very long life down to being active and healthy and always working hard When Percy Norton came back from the Second World War, his injuries were so serious he was given just three months to live. But against all odds the father-of-two today celebrated his 100th birthday with a card from the Queen. The former butcher, from East Tuddenham, Norfolk, suffered injuries to his abdomen and spleen and was left with a partial lung after he was struck by a shell blast in Normandy, France. Birthday: Percy Norton was given three months to live when he came back from the Second World War but he survived against all odds and today he's celebrated his 100th birthday with a card from the Queen He was brought back to Britain and spent more than a year in hospital, but he was sent home to die as doctors believed he would only live for a few months. However, the soldier was nursed back to health by his wife Ellen and miraculously made a recovery and still works out on an exercise bike and goes fishing most Saturday during the summer season. Last night, Mr Norton, who was celebrating his birthday at a party with friends and family said: "I put my long life down to hard work, healthy life and healthy diet." Brave: Mr Norton pictured aged two with his parents in 1916 and right in his service uniform in 1940. He was struck by an Allied shell in Normandy in northern France and spent more than a year in hospital recovering After marrying his wife in 1943, Mr Norton was sent away with Royal Norfolk regiment and landed in Normandy shortly after D-Day. He said: "We went down to Portsmouth and when it was time for us to go across the water we were split, half to the Dorsets and half to the Hampshires, it was the last time I saw a lot of my friends. Around a month after I got over to France just after D-Day I was badly wounded. I was put with an anti-tank platoon and it was my job to look after the vehicle and supply the crew with ammunition. Fighting fit: Percy on his bike aged 18. He has two children and says his 100 years have been 'very good and enjoyable' apart from the 13 months he spent in hospital and when he lost his wife Eileen in 1991 During an attack on a German tank near Caen in Normandy, Mr Norton was injured by an Allied shell. He said: "One of the shells dropped short. It killed two of the six of us. Proud: Mr Norton pictured in 1944. He puts his long life down to always being active Mr Norton was so badly injured that it was three to four weeks before he was moved back to Britain from France and then spent 13 months in hospital in Weston-super-Mare. It was only when he returned to the hospital after making a recovery at home that he was told they thought he had only three months to live. He said: "We went to Wales on a holiday, and I said to my wife, we've got to go over to Weston-super-Mare. We went across and went up to the door and I asked for the matron. She came to the door and she could not speak, her mouth was wide open. "Norton the Resurrection," she called me. "She said, "I can tell you now that we sent you home with only three months to live." She could not believe it. Mr Norton, who has two daughters, Marilyn, 58, and Angela, 66, said that he has had "a very good and enjoyable" life except for his 13 months stay in hospital. The widower, who lost his wife Ellen in 1991, was still driving up until six years ago when he had to stop because of his deteriorating eyesight. Mr Norton, who took a trip on Concorde before it was retired, still travels around the country for dog shows with his daughter Marilyn and their nine dachshunds. They have qualified for Crufts every year since he started to enter and last year (2012) their dog Mildred won best of breed. Active: Mr Norton on his wedding day in 1943 and right, passing the time in his retirement fishing for trout King's Lynn-born Mr Norton said that he believes keeping active has contributed to his long life. He said: "I used to go in for nearly every sport there was - running, cycling, cross-country. I would cycle to Holt, North Walsham and I used to hold the record for cycling up one of the hills at Ringland Hills. I've always been fit. I've been fit all my life, I've always been one for sport and exercise; every sort of sport and getting in the gym.