Britain's oldest man turns 110

SHEFFIELD, England, July 8 (UPI) -- Britain's oldest man, who celebrated his 110th birthday with a glass of whiskey, says he does not know the cause of his longevity.

Ralph Tarrant of Sheffield, England, a father of two, grandfather of seven, great-grandfather of 11 and great-great-grandfather of three, celebrated his 110th birthday Sunday, The Daily Telegraph reported Monday.

Tarrant said he lives alone and still cooks for himself.

"There's no secret to getting old," Tarrant told the Daily Mail. "There's no need to live too carefully, I smoked until I was 70 and I still enjoy a drink. I don't know what the future holds, but I'll keep going as long as I can."

Tarrant and his late wife Phyllis, who died in 2012 at the age of 102, were certified as Britain's longest-married couple with 79 years of marriage.

"'I really don't know what all the fuss is about. I've never really counted the years, I've just got on with it," he said. "I don't feel my age, certainly not in my head. I sometimes get a few aches and pains and I've been ill recently but I'm getting my strength back now. I'll be happy as long as I can get about under my own steam and I can do that quite well now."