A clean shirt, a tie, polished shoes: Wales' oldest man turns 107 with a red carpet

Owen Filer did not expect a fuss. Wales' oldest man turned 107 this week in Brynmawr, and the fuss arrived anyway: a Military Police escort, fellow Royal Military Police veterans in their red berets, and a red-carpet welcome at Market Hall Cinema — Wales' oldest cinema — where he had chosen a screening of the Norman Wisdom comedy One Good Turn. Volunteers from SSAFA, the armed forces charity, helped arrange the day, with a buffet lunch supported by housing association Tai Calon. Asked about reaching 107, Owen said simply: 'I didn't think I'd ever make it.' His friend Darren Foote, who helped organise the celebrations, put the secret plainly: 'He still gets up in the morning, he puts a clean shirt on, puts his tie on, cleans his shoes, and he gets up with purpose. I think we can all take a leaf out of his book.'