Home from home: Surprise Attingham Park VIP visit for John's 90th birthday

But this weekend, in the room at Attingham Park where as a man he paid his rent, John Lucas drank champagne and took afternoon tea – a VIP visit to celebrate his 90th birthday.

The family of Mr Lucas, surprised him with a party in the Lady Berwick tea rooms, bringing back happy memories.

He was born in May 1926 in Atcham House, now the Mytton and Mermaid and lived on the Attingham estate most of his young life, his father, a riding master, running a livery at Atcham.

In 1930, when Atcham House was transformed into a three star hotel, the family moved their home and business to Attingham's stableblock, continuing to live there until 1969.

Leaving Atcham school at the age of 18 Mr Lucas said he went to work for the estate.

"I was Lord Berwick's house boy. I was responsible for cleaning his shoes and I also swept the corridors and cleaned the windows," he said.

As it was wartime much of the estate was commandeered and Attingham's 200 deer were corralled into a very small area.

"We would go out and collect tonnes of horse chestnut, acorns, anything we could find to feed them," he said.

"They became so tame that when they saw us they would come to the fence and eat out of our hands. Lord Berwick would also like to feed the deer from his hands.

"It was a perfect life at Attingham. I could not have wished for better," he said.

He also helped in the kitchens to not only feed the Berwicks but also the pupils of the Edgbaston Girls' School that used part of the hall in the war years.

He also worked for the Pearl Assurance, an insurance company that moved offices from London to Attingham to protect policies from the Blitz and was also an electrician's apprentice.

He worked at Atcham airfield and he helped put up the old Wrekin light on the top of the hill.

When he was 18 in 1944, he was called into the Army and served at bases across the world.

"I was in the Royal Signals and was based in the Orkneys keeping the telephone links running for the ships, in Egypt and then in Japan," he said.

While in Japan Mr Lucas commanded the forces in charge of a vital supply line.

He was demobbed and went on to have a career as an electrician before retiring in 1992.

The afternoon tea for Mr Lucas and his wife, Doreen, was organised by their daughter, Linda.

"They are moving to Stratford where we live from Shipton-on-Stour and he remarked that he wanted to go to visit Attingham one more time," she said.

Mr Lucas said: "It was a complete and delightful surprise.

"My parents, who I owe everything to, would not believe that we could be sitting taking afternoon tea and drinking champagne in the room where we used to pay our rent.

"I thought my grandson was taking me out for lunch. It has been wonderful to spent the afternoon with my family and friends."