UK’s oldest man celebrates 110th birthday and shares secret to long life

John Alfred Tinniswood received a birthday card from the Queen

Britain’s oldest man has revealed the secret behind his long life as he celebrated his 110th birthday.

John Alfred Tinniswood, who lives in Southport, celebrated the milestone with a sun-soaked birthday party complete with live music at The Hollies care home.

Tinniswood, who is an avid Liverpool fan, was presented with large gold 110 balloons, and a clock which paid tribute to the football team and bore the name of the club’s anthem, “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.

Tinniswood, who was born in Liverpool in 1912, has lived through both World Wars, the Spanish flu and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Reflecting on the secret to his long life, Tinniswood said he doesn’t believe in restricting oneself from life’s pleasures.

Staff at The Hollies said Tinniswood often tells them: “Take everything in moderation, that’s the key secret to a long life.”

Tinniswood was visited at the home by Mark Blundell, the lord-lieutenant of Merseyside.

Blundell brought a birthday card from the Queen, which is the tenth one Tinniswood has received from Her Majesty since turning 100 in 2012.

John was gifted a special clock (The Hollies Rest Home)

Tinniswood told the BBC it felt “very special” to get the card, and that it contained a “very good messages from the Queen”.

When asked about being Britain’s oldest man, Tinniswood said: “I don’t feel old, I keep up with my friends,” he added.

John received gold 110 balloons (The Hollies Rest Home)

Tinniswood’s good health could also be attributed to his relaxed approach to life.

On his 109^th birthday last year, he told ITV that people should “never exceed what you can normally do” and not worry so much about the future.

“Otherwise you’re going to injure yourself either physically or mentally. So stay within your limits of what you can do,” he said. “The future holds what it does – you can’t do very much about it.”

The oldest known living man across the world is Juan Vicente Pérez Mora, of Venezuela, aged 113. The oldest known living woman is Lucile Randon from France, aged 118.