Said to be Europe's oldest man, great-grandfather Nazar Singh finally passed away at the age of 111 while visiting family in his native India. The record-breaker, from Sunderland, in Britain’s North East, who was born in Punjab, in 1904, and lived through two world wars, plus the Great Depression, died in India, having travelled their to visit family.

He lived in England for 50 years, moving to Wearside in 1989 to live with one of his nine children.

Celebrating his recent birthday, it is said that he did so with a pint of Stella and a whisky by his side.

He was said to love the outdoors, having been born on a farm, and enjoyed drinking milk and almond oil. He also regularly ate fruit and had a drop of whisky every night.

His grandson, Harvinder Gill, 31, from Ashbrooke, Sunderland said: “He was an incredible man who lived a very happy and fulfilling life.”

Nazar Singh, who had 34 grandchildren and 63 great grandchildren, was always surrounded by family. "He had a huge family and that played a massive part in him living so long," Gill said.