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The world’s oldest man, John Tinniswood, has turned 112 in a care home in Southport, Merseyside.
Mr Tinniswood, who was born in Liverpool on August 26, 1912, the day the Titanic sank, became the world’s oldest man in April and says he attributes his longevity to “pure luck”.
When asked how it felt to be 112 years old, he told Guinness World Records (GWR): “To be honest, it doesn’t change anything. I don’t feel any older, I don’t feel any excitement. Maybe that’s why I’m 112 years old.”
“Like everything else, I just take it in stride. I have no idea how I’ve survived this long.
“I can’t think of any special secrets. I was very active when I was younger, I walked a lot, so I don’t know if that has anything to do with it, but for me it makes no difference. [to anyone]… There is absolutely no difference.”
When asked what the biggest change in the world has been in his life, he said, “In my opinion, it’s not better than it was back then, no, not even close. Maybe in some places it’s better, but in other places it’s worse.”
As for the secret to his longevity, he told GWR it’s “just good luck”.
“You either live a long life or you live a short life, and there’s not much you can do about it,” he added.
Mr Tinniswood said he was not on any particular diet apart from eating fish and chips every Friday.
“I eat what they give me and so does everyone else. I’m not on any special diet,” he said.
Tinniswood survived both world wars and is the world’s oldest living male World War II veteran. He served as an administrator in the Army Pay Corps.
Mr Tinniswood said he had no particular dietary restrictions but would eat fish and chips every Friday (Guinness World Records/PA Wire)
His work included accounting and auditing, as well as logistical tasks such as locating stranded soldiers and organizing food supplies.
He continued to work as an accountant for Shell and BP until his retirement in 1972.
A lifelong Liverpool FC fan, Tinniswood was born just 20 years after the club was founded in 1892 and has lived through all eight of the club’s FA Cup wins and 17 of their 19 league titles.
Mr Tinniswood met his wife Bradwen at a dance in Liverpool and they spent 44 years together until she died in 1986.
Their daughter Susan was born in 1943.
Since turning 100 in 2012, he had received a birthday card every year from the late Queen Elizabeth, who was nearly 14 years his junior.
The oldest man in history was Japan’s Jiroemon Kimura, who lived for 116 years and 54 days and died in 2013.
The oldest woman and the oldest person in the world is 116-year-old Japanese woman Tomiko Itooka.
