A grandfather says he owns the UK’s oldest unopened Easter egg which he has kept safe for 92 YEARS.<br /><br />Eric Boden was just a baby when his uncle gave him the Nestle milk chocolate treat in 1931.<br /><br />His mother put it in a cupboard so Eric could enjoy it when he was older but it has remained unopened - and in mint condition - for almost a century.<br /><br />The egg, measuring 9ins (22cm) tall, is now believed to be the UK’s oldest unopened Easter egg.<br /><br />Eric, from Evesham, Worcs., now keeps the precious chocolate treat in a dark cool cupboard at his home.<br /><br />The retired toolmaker, who has four grandchildren, said: “My uncle Harvey was an army officer and fought in the First World War.<br /><br />"He gave the chocolate egg to me to mark my first Easter.<br /><br />“My mum didn’t want me to get in a mess as I was given lots of chocolate treats so she put it away and it didn’t get eaten.<br /><br />“When my parents Florence and Arthur passed away 37 years ago we were cleaning out their house we found it.<br /><br />“I always knew the Easter egg was there, but I didn’t know where.<br /><br />“When it was found it was brought back to my house and that it is where it lives now in my cupboard.<br /><br />“It has never been out the packaging and it is still in the same condition as when it was bought.<br /><br />“The egg is milk chocolate and wrapped in red and silver foil with a big red ribbon on it.<br /><br />“It sits in a big green box which has hand painted eggs and chickens on it.”<br /><br />Eric, whose wife June died in 2004, is in the process of having his egg verified by Guinness World Records.<br /><br />His youngest son Stephen, 64, said: "I've done some research and seen Easter eggs online claiming to be the oldest - but they are only around 70 years old.<br /><br />"Obviously this is 92 so it would seem to be the oldest unopened one in the UK.<br /><br />"It became a bit of a family joke. It was kept in a cool, dark place and that's where it stayed.”<br /><br />A Nestle spokesperson said: "It's really nice to hear it's been preserved as a keepsake all these years although it would not be worth anything.<br /><br />"Vintage chocolate is not like vintage wine. It's well past its sell by date and I don't recommend anyone should eat it."
