Merseyside Resident, 111, Named World's Oldest Man: Longevity Secrets Revealed

A great-grandfather from Merseyside has become the world’s oldest living man.

John Tinniswood, who is 111 years and 223 days old, puts his longevity down to a fish and chips on a Friday and having hiked regularly when he was young.

Tinniswood, who now lives in a care home in Southport, advises “exercising the mind” and “moderation”.

The previous title-holder, Juan Vicente Pérez Mora of Venezuela, died aged 114 on Tuesday.

Tinniswood, a Liverpool FC fan, was born in the city on August 26, 1912, and can recall standing on the terraces watching Billy Liddell and Everton’s Dixie Dean.

He met his wife, Blodwen, during World War Two, and they married in 1942.

The couple were married for 44 years until Blodwen died in 1986.

Their daughter, Susan, was born in 1943.

Tinniswood worked for Royal Mail, for Shell, and for BP until he retired in 1972.

He said his earliest memory was his first day at school at Lawrence Road and later The Holt Secondary School, now known as Childwall Comprehensive School.

The world’s oldest living man said he did not have a special diet but continues to enjoy his favourite meal, fish and chips, every Friday.

He also recommended to “never over-tax your system” for a healthy life, and to get along with people.

“We are all different people,” he said.

“It is up to us to make that difference work, otherwise everything fails.”

Tinniswood was presented with the Guinness World Records certificate on April 4.

The world’s oldest living woman, and oldest living person overall, is Spain’s Maria Branyas Morera, who recently celebrated her 117th birthday.

The evidence for the oldest man living was examined by Guinness World Records’ Senior Consultant for Gerontology, Robert Young, and the Gerontology Research Group. (BBC)