In 1980 life expectancy was only 52 years, and 10% of infants did not live beyond their first birthday.

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Edwin van der Sar is close to signing a new contract with Manchester United after deciding to play on beyond his 40th birthday.

BBC: Sunday's gossip column - transfers and rumours

Indeed, when I was first elected for Yeovil in 1983, I promised myself that I would not do the job beyond my 60th birthday and would stand down no later than the first general election after that date.

BBC: Paddy Ashdown's letter of resignation

In honour of the birthday celebrations, the Birthplace visitor centre will open a new exhibition, Famous Beyond Words, in March, retelling the story of Shakespeare's development from Stratford local to world famous playwright, using artefacts from the museum's collection (such as the 1623 First Folio, the first published collection of Shakespeare's plays and the only reliable source for more than 20 of his works).

BBC: Following in the Bard��s footsteps �C literally