'Oldest man in Wales' recommends diet of fish and chips as he nears his 107th birthday

Published: 01:40 BST, 17 October 2026 | Updated: 01:57 BST, 17 October 2026

A man believed to be the oldest in Wales has put his long life down to a diet of fish and chips as he nears his 107th birthday.

Owen Filer, who lives in Cwmbran, said there is 'no secret' and he has lived a simple life, working and not overeating.

He said: 'How I got here I'll never know, but I've met a lot of people who have admired me and asked me how do I do it.

'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.

'Fish and chips, a full meal, a scoop full of chips and a fish, and it was cod and hake, it was genuine.

'You can't afford to buy it now, can you? It's such a change, isn't it, it's crazy.'

Born in 1919, Mr Filer served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and then the Military Police during the Second World War.

Owen Filer (left), believed to be the oldest in Wales, has put his long life down to a diet of fish and chips as he nears his 107th birthday 

On Friday, Mr Filer was presented with a commemorative statuette by SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, in recognition of his military service and in early celebration of his birthday

He celebrated the milestone with friends, family and fellow veterans on Friday at the Market Hall Cinema in Brynmawr, ahead of his birthday on Monday

He celebrated the milestone with friends, family and fellow veterans on Friday at the Market Hall Cinema in Brynmawr, ahead of his birthday on Monday. 

On Friday, Mr Filer was presented with a commemorative statuette by SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, in recognition of his military service and in early celebration of his birthday.

Mr Filer reflected on his long life and said he didn't think he'd make it this far.   

He said: 'I thought it would be a better world I would be living in, but I didn't think I'd ever make it.

'Nobody ever thought about old age in our family… We had no food, we had no money, and that's God's truth, we had no money.'

He was accompanied to the event at Tredegar Veterans Support Hub by his daughter Anne Messore, 80, one of his four children. He also has 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Later on Friday, Mr Filer was surprised with a red carpet welcome at Market Hall Cinema in Brynmawr, where he chose a screening of the film One Good Turn.

Darren Foote, a fellow veteran who helped to organise the birthday celebrations, said: 'He doesn't understand why they make a fuss of him, he doesn't get it at all.

'He's just a really nice, down to earth guy.

'He still gets up in the morning, he puts a clean shirt on, puts his tie on, cleans his shoes, and he gets up with purpose.

'I think we can all take a leaf out of his book on that one, for sure.'