- Bob Weighton was 112 years and one day old as of 30 March 2020

- The certificate was presented to him from a safe distance to celebrate this remarkable milestone

- The evidence was scrutinised by Guinness World Records Senior Gerontology Consultant Robert Young.

- Bob received the record title after Chitetsu Watanabe passed away on February 23, 2020, at 112 years and 355 days

A Hampshire resident has been officially recognised as the world’s oldest man by Guinness World Records.

Bob Weighton turned 112 on Sunday, March 29.

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Bob Weighton, the world's oldest man, turned 112 on Sunday, March 29. Photo: Guinness World Records.

Source: UGC

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Born in 1908, he is the same age as Inter Milan football club and pre-dates Selfridges department store and the beatification of Joan of Arc.

As young Robert came into this world, Herbert Asquith was still a week from becoming British prime minister and King Edward VII had two more years to live.

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Bob was presented with his certificate by staff at the assisted living home where he lives while keeping the appropriate distance because he is isolating.

A spokeswoman for Guinness World Records said that because of the COVID-19 outbreak, its officials were not able to reach him to hand over the certificate in person.

“Adhering to current UK rules around social distancing, we were unable to meet Bob in person as we normally would," she said.

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"Instead, the assisted living home where he lives presented him with his certificate, all from a safe distance," she added.

Guinness World Records said its senior gerontology consultant, Robert Young, had been scrutinising all available evidence.

This was after the previous title holder, Chitetsu Watanabe, a farmer from Japan, died on February 23 at 112 years and 355 days.

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“I can not say I was pleased to hear the previous holder had died but I am very pleased that I’ve been able to live so long and make so many friends," Bob said on receiving the record.

He lived through the 1918-20 Spanish flu pandemic and has had serious medical operations but, like most, he has never endured self-isolation.

“It is bizarre. I’ve never experienced anything like coronavirus before. I’m a bit frustrated but then again I’ve been in situations where you just had to accept what was happening," he said.

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