Owen Filer, believed to be the oldest man in Wales, has shared the secret to his remarkable longevity as he prepares to celebrate his 107th birthday on Monday. The Second World War veteran attributes his long life to living simply, working hard, and never overindulging.
Mr Filer insisted there was no mystery behind reaching such an extraordinary age, but he has always relied on the staple meal of fish and chips.
No secret recipe
"How I got here I'll never know, but I've met a lot of people who have admired me and asked me how I do it," Mr Filer said. "No secret recipe, except that I always worked all my life.
"There is no secret, you just live properly, and I've always done it. I've never overeaten, I lived on fish and chips," he said. "Fish and chips, a full meal, a scoop full of chips and a fish, and it was cod and hake, it was genuine."
A life of service and family
Born in 1919, Mr Filer served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers before transferring to the Military Police during the Second World War. He has four children, with the family now spanning 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Ahead of his birthday, he was honoured at a celebration attended by loved ones and fellow Servicemen at the Market Hall Cinema in Brynmawr. SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, presented him with a commemorative statuette in recognition of his distinguished military service.
Daily routine and celebration
The festivities continued with a surprise red carpet reception at the cinema, where Mr Filer chose to watch the film One Good Turn.
Fellow veteran Darren Foote, who helped organise the celebrations, said Mr Filer was bemused by all the attention, describing him as a "really nice, down-to-earth guy".
Despite being 106, Mr Filer continues to follow a daily routine, putting on a clean shirt and tie and cleaning his shoes every morning, and he "gets up with purpose". Mr Foote said: "I think we can all take a leaf out of his book on that one, for sure."
