Oldest man

FIRST World War veteran Henry Allingham has been officially recognised as the world's oldest man- and his relatives in Acle have spoken of their pride in his achievement.

FIRST World War veteran Henry Allingham has been officially recognised as the world's oldest man- and his relatives in Acle have spoken of their pride in his achievement.

Ronald Cator, 74, from Acle, is one of two nephews of Mr Allingham living in the Norwich and Acle area, along with two of the former Royal Naval Air Serviceman's nieces.

He paid tribute to his 113-year-old uncle after the Guinness World Records recognised him as the oldest man on the planet following the death of the previous holder of the title in Japan.

“He is very frail now but I'm sure he'll be very pleased to hear it. We are very proud of him,” Mr Cator said.

During the First World War, he was based in the town where he met local farm worker's daughter Dorothy in church and the pair fell in love.

She gave him a Bible to protect him when he was posted to the Western Front to join No 12 Squadron. He survived the conflict, despite being bombed from the air and shelled from the land and sea simultaneously and married Dorothy in 1919. Their relationship lasted 53 years until she died.

He visited Yarmouth in 2006 recalling the Zeppelin raid of 1915.