Britain's oldest man declared world's oldest after previous record holders' death

Previously Britain's oldest man, Bob Weighton, has just become the world's oldest man after the previous holder of the title passed away in Japan. According to reports, Chitetsu Watanabe passed away at the age of 112 on February 23 after receiving his Guinness World Record certificate. Bob Weighton from Alton in Hampshire, who was born in Hull on 29 March 1908 now holds that record.

Refuses to celebrate record

As per sources, when Weighton was informed that he was now the world's oldest man he refused to celebrate the news and said that he was not satisfied because the only reason he received the record was that someone else had died. He also claimed that for him becoming the world's oldest man was not a goal, he never worked for or wanted to hold that position.

Weighton is 111 and celebrates his birthday next month. Weighton was already England's oldest man but became Britain's oldest man after last summer after Scotland’s oldest man, Alfred Smith, from St Madoes, Perthshire passed away.

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The previous holder of the record, Chitetsu Watanabe was officially certified as the world’s oldest male at the age of 112 years and 344 days by the Guinness World record on February 12. He was born on March 5 in the year 1907 in Niigata, Tokyo claimed that smiling is the key to longevity, suggest reports. 

Read: World's Oldest Man, Who Said Secret Was Smiling, Dies At 112

Read: 112-year-old Japanese Man Certified World's Oldest Male By Guinness World Records