Nazar Singh, Europe's oldest man, is dead

Nazar Singh, Europe's oldest man, died in India, barely a fortnight after celebrating his 111th birthday, a media report said.

Nazar Singh, who had nine children, 34 grandchildren and 63 great-grandchildren, died in the early hours of Saturday in India, Daily Mail reported on Tuesday.

He was born in Punjab in 1904 and was a resident in England for 50 years, moving in 1989 to the North East to live with one of his nine children.

He died in the early hours of Saturday in India, having travelled over to spend time with family, said his grandson Harvinder Gill, from Ashbrooke, Sunderland.

"He was an incredible chap," Gill was quoted as saying.

"He has lived a very happy and fulfilling life. For the past few weeks he has been suffering with a few illnesses. He has had pneumonia but he was a fighter. Unfortunately, his time has passed. It was early hours on Saturday, just before Fathers' Day," he added.

Singh had earlier said the secret to his long life was a strong family, good food and happiness.

The 111-year-old loved the outdoors, having been born on a farm and enjoyed drinking milk and almond oil. He ate fruit and had a drop of whisky every night.

His family said he never had a surfgery, had some of his original teeth and had no problems with his hearing.