“I’ve stayed 12 and a half stone since 18, I don’t drink and I don’t smoke.”

Those were the words of wisdom from one of Cumbria’s oldest truckers, who offered his advice on the secret to working more than 50 hours a week at the age of 80.

Maurice Slessor, who lives in Carlisle, works at Malcolm Logistics in Penrith, joining the firm at the ripe old age of 66.

“I just keep working. If I’m at home I just do household chores. I just love to work, I can’t settle at home, I end up doing odd jobs,” he explains on his 80th birthday on Wednesday.

His colleagues had bought him a collection of presents, including a small replica of his truck and a cake with his picture printed on.

Maurice was born in Peterhead and after spending more than two decades doing long distance deliveries in Fraserburgh, north of Aberdeen, he then changed his trade.

He met his now wife and moved to Carlisle, where he has lived ever since.

Maurice was the licence holder for three pubs, spending 12 years in the trade.

During the 12-year period he ran the Green Dragon on Newtown Road, The Pheasant Inn opposite the McVitie’s Factory and The Cumberland Inn on Botchergate.

Unable to compete with the low prices of the newly-opened Woodrow Wilson Wetherspoon pub, Maurice left the trade and returned to the roads in 2004.

He spent several years working as a trucker based at Kirkby Thore, where he came across his current boss Lawrence Fearon.

Maurice joined Malcolm Logistics in April 2007, describing the team as “a small family”.

The popular trucker has the full backing of his wife to carry on.

“She told me if I’m happy working that I should carry on,” he explained.

“I’ve got my medical this month. I’ve done 15 medicals (at his current workplace) now.

“If I pass my medical, I will wait for next year.”

Having spent more than a decade with his current employer, he can’t see himself working anywhere else.

“I wouldn’t go anywhere else,” he said.

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t enjoy it. Me and the rest of the drivers get on.

“I have always treated people the way I like to be treated.”

Being strong mentally is also important for Maurice.

“A lot of it is in the mind. I just keep working, show respect and get respect back.”

Boss Lawrence, operations manager at the Penrith site, is full of praise for his friend Maurice.

“He’s very respected by his peers,” he explained.

“Each year I speak to him and I say, ‘What are you doing, are you carrying on?’. He will say, ‘If I pass my medical, will you have me?’

“I tell him, ‘If you want to carry on, you carry on’.”

Lawrence believes that only a failed medical would stop the 80-year-old from doing the job he loves.

“I don’t think anything else would stop him,” he explained.

“Most people hang their boots up many years before that.

“He just keeps going on, nothing will stop him doing the job.

“As long as Maurice wants to, he has the full support of the team.

“He is one of those exceptional people. He is driving one of the most visually impacted vehicles, an articulated lorry, working in the industry.

“He looks after himself well.”

Maurice is like no one else he has come across, Lawrence says.

“He’s worked for us for 13 years,” Lawrence continued. “He’s unique in the industry.

“There won’t be many people still plying his trade, and in the way he does, at his age.”