Oldest man 'irked' over Brexit on 109th birthday

England's oldest man has said he is a "bit irked" to be celebrating his 109th birthday on the same day Brexit is triggered.

Bob Weighton said he was "not enamoured" with all of the European Union's decisions and spending, but felt quitting was a "mistake".

He said he did not regard Theresa May's signing of Article 50, as "a step forward at all".

"She didn't ring me up to see what my reaction would be," he joked.

The former teacher and lecturer, who lives in Alton, Hampshire, but is originally from Hull, described himself as "very internationally-minded".

He has 10 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren "scattered around Europe", including in Germany.

'Like a divorce'

"You can't just walk away and expect it not to have any repercussions," Mr Weighton said of the UK's exit from the EU.

"It's not like resigning from a golf club because you don't like the secretary, it's more like a divorce with all of the heartache and recriminations that follow.

"However, you have to live with the way things are not the way you would like them to be."

He said he had lived a "varied life" and added the most "exciting part" was between the ages of 25 and 40, when he worked abroad teaching English to students in Taiwan.

He said "age is just a number" and he would be celebrating his birthday by having lunch with some members of his family, as well as another party with friends at his retirement home.

While Mr Weighton is the oldest man in England, he shares the title of Britain's oldest man with Alf Smith, of Perth, Scotland, who was also born on this day in 1908.