an apple a day may keep the doctor away but eating homegrown vegetables will make you live longerso say the residents of the sleepy english village of montacute who have just been found to have the longest life expectancy in britain an analysis of more than three million pension records shows 65yearolds living in montecute can expect to live for an average of 25 more years taking them up to 90 in contrast 65yearolds living in some other parts of england can expect an average of 17 more years residents say the key to long life is growing your own vegetables eating an onion a day drinking locallysourced spring water and walking britains statefunded healthcare system which is free for the aged and the poor also came in for praise all montacute villagers have their own little allotments garden patches where they grow vegetables such as onions potatoes spinach and beans people are happy we were always happy poor said one resident 90 the study carried out by actuaries at the international business consultancy watson wyatt focused on men only the company said the evidence was that it would hold true for women too who would typically live two years longer than men the guardian reported bill dufton 83 was to be found on top of a ladder restoring the window frames of his 500yearold home