Liverpool-born John Alfred Tinniswood only held the title for a few months from June 2024, until he sadly died in the care home where he lived in Southport.
John’s family paid tribute, saying: “John had many fine qualities. He was intelligent, decisive, brave, calm in any crisis, talented at maths and a great conversationalist.”
Your knees might be aching already at the thought of it, but the new oldest man has clocked in at an 112 years and 55 days old.
Not only that, it’s not thanks to a life of luxury either.
He’s been working in fields since the shockingly young age of just four-years-old.
A former pig farmer in Brazil, the new record holder has been named as Joao Marinho Neto.
His age has been confirmed by LongeviQuest in Ceara, Brazil.
The new world’s oldest man lives in Brazil. (Guinness World Records)
Guinness World Records confirmed the news with a message on X: “Say hello to the new oldest man in the world, Brazil’s João Marinho Neto, at the age of 112 years and 52 days old.”
A statement confirmed: “Born in Maranguape, Ceara, Brazil, on 5 October 1912, he was previously recognized as the oldest living man in Brazil and in Latin America. He is also now the last surviving man who was born in 1912. Joao was born into a family of farmers and moved with his parents to a rural area of Apuiares.”
Talking about his impressive work history, they explained: “He was helping his father out in the fields by the time he was four. His jobs around the farm included helping take care of the cattle and harvesting fruit from Juazeiro trees. Joao went on to marry Josefa Albano dos Santos (1920–1994), and they welcomed four children together – Antonio, Jose, Fatima, and Vanda.”
He went on to have three more children called Vinicius, Jarbas, and Conceicao with his partner Antonia Rodrigues Moura.
“He followed in his father’s farming footsteps, cultivating the land his then-wife inherited in Fazenda Massape, to grow corn and beans. He also raised cattle, goats, pigs and chickens.”
Many of the older generation have been asked for their tips and tricks for a long lasting, healthy life, with answers that vary from ‘gin’ to ‘staying single’, but Joao has his own advice.
When asked what the key was to living to 112, he gave a wholesome answer: “Being surrounded by good people and keeping his loved ones close by.”
He credits his long life to his friends and family (credit: Guinness World Records)
So no gin, then.
He has a large family to surround himself with too, with six living children, 22 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
That’s a lot of Christmas presents to buy!
A spokesman for LongeviQuest says: “We extend our heartfelt congratulations to him and his family on this remarkable achievement. We wish him continued good health and many more years of happiness. His story stands as an inspiration to people across the globe.”
The men have a way to go to catch up with the world’s oldest woman though.
The title is currently held by 116 year old Japanese woman, Tomiko Itooka.
She credits her longevity to hiking and mountain climbing until her nineties, and John Alfred Tinniswood also credited walking – so maybe it’s time to buy some walking boots.
Featured Image Credit: Guinness World Records
Topics: Guinness World Record, World News
Jen Thomas
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Wowcher drops £18 mystery deal with luxury prizes worth hundreds
Just in time for Christmas
This article contains affiliate links and LADbible Group might make a commission on anything purchased.
It’s not too late to impress with your Christmas present this year, as Wowcher has launched an £18 mystery deal that could see you bag a Louis Vuitton wallet worth £490.
In an offer you don’t want to miss, the luxury brand’s cult Sarah Wallet could be yours with the click of a button alongside a range of other high-end items – and people are rushing to take part.
Over 17,650 tickets have sold so far in the run-up to Christmas with the mystery deal set to close when all products sell out so if you’re keen, you’ll need to move fast.
There’s the option to purchase either a standard tier ticket for £12 or a premium tier ticket for £18. If you purchase the £12 product option, prizes include the likes of a Vivienne Westwood necklace worth £110, Michael Kors stud earrings worth £69, a John Lewis voucher worth £50 or a Hotel Chocolat Wreath Box worth £49.95.
If you purchase the £18 mystery deal, you’ll be in with the chance of winning even bigger prizes. From a £490 Louis Vuitton wallet to a £500 Harrods gift voucher, find out what you could take home below.
Louis Vuitton Sarah Wallet, worth £490
Louis Vuitton
The Louis Vuitton Sarah Wallet is undoubtedly this year’s hero prize. One of the luxury brand’s most iconic designs, it’s emblazoned with the LV monogram in classic brown with two large compartments, a central zipped coin pocket, and multiple card slots. At £490, this is a deal you don’t want to miss out on.
Harrods gift card, worth £500
Harrods
As though that wasn’t enough to see you enter, there’s also a Harrods gift card loaded with £500 up for grabs – just in time for the holiday season. There’s only one available but you need to be in it to win it, right?
Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer, worth £329.99
Dyson
With thousands of glowing five-star reviews, you don’t need to be a beauty expert to have heard of the Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer. At a cool £329.99, it doesn’t come cheap, and this could be a good chance to get your hands on one before Christmas.
Dior Sauvage Eau de Parfum, worth £85
Dior
Famously one of the world’s most loved aftershaves, Dior’s Sauvage Eau de Parfum has been well received by customers, and you don’t need to hope there’s one in your stocking this year. There’s one up for grabs in the mystery deal and it’ll save you £85.
The White Company Gift Set, worth £35
The White Company
An excellent gift idea, The White Company’s Seychelles Gift Set is also included in the mystery offer, and it’s sure to put a smile on someone’s face this festive season. There are 10 available so you might just be in with a chance.
How to enter the Wowcher mystery deal
Let’s get down to the T’s and C’s. It’s important to note that the items are chosen at random and you may receive multiples of the same product if you purchase multiples of the deal. You will not know whether you’ll receive a high-value or low-value product, but that’s all part of the fun isn’t it?
According to Wowcher, the item will be shipped within five days of purchase. There are 19,796 items available in total and you can find the full list here. The deal will end at 23:59pm (GMT) on 5 October 2026 or until the offer sells out.
Keen to be in with a chance of winning? Enter the mystery deal now. Good luck!
Featured Image Credit: Getty/ Louis Vuitton
Danielle Fowler
Guinness World Records respond after man’s 23ft Eiffel Tower made out of matchsticks was rejected
He was left less than impressed after Guinness World Record rejected his attempt
Guinness World Record has explained why the bloke who spent eight years on a record attempt was disqualified.
In case you missed it, French man Richard Plaud spent a whopping eight years painstakingly crafting a massive Eiffel Tower replica out of more than 700,000 matchsticks, standing at a staggering 7.19m (23.6ft).
Impressive, eh?
You can see how it looks here:
For his efforts, Plaud was hoping to gain himself a spot in the record books – for the build the world’s tallest structure made of matches – but he was left sorely disappointed when Guinness World Records rejected his attempt due to the type of matches he used to create his masterpiece.
You see, Plaud thought rather than individually removing the bits of sulphur at the end of each match, he contacted a match manufacturer who sent him thousands of sulphur-free matches.
However, the Guinness World Record rules state that only ‘commercially available’ matches qualify for a record-breaker.
Ouch.
As you can imagine, Plaud has been left gutted by the decision and took to social to vent saying the move was ‘rather annoying’ and ‘not exactly fair play’.
Instagram/@toureiffelallumettes
In response, Guinness World Records has said officials may have been a ‘little heavy handed’ in their decision making.
Mark McKinley, Director of Central Records Services at Guinness World Records, said: “It’s the job of our records management team to be thorough and fastidious in reviewing evidence to make sure the playing field is level for everyone attempting a Guinness World Records title, however it does appear we might have been a little heavy handed with this application.
“We will make contact with the record holder again as well as review rules for similar records as a priority, to see what can be done.”
After learning that his attempt had been disqualified, Plaud shared a lengthy post on Instagram.
He wrote (translated): “The Guinness Book judges gave their verdict, without having seen my tower in real life.
Instagram/@toureiffelallumettes
“It’s pretty astonishing, and actually rather annoying. Not exactly fair play.
“What hurts most is that they don’t acknowledge the work that I put in, the time I spent, the mental energy – because I can tell you it was not easy.”
“As referenced in the guidelines: The matches used must be commercially available. Proof of this must be provided as evidence.
“As the matchsticks were not commercially available, and were not recognized as matchsticks the attempt has been disqualified.
“BIG DISILLUSION, DISAPPOINTMENT AND INCOMPREHENSION.
“Tell me [how] the 706,900 rods stuck one by one are not matches!!?? And they are too cut to the point of being unrecognizable!!??
“Clearly, the English are really different……
“My matchstick tower is still tall and will be 7.19 meters for a long time!!!!! No offence to the English.
“They reckoned that my matches weren’t available for sale. So they didn’t qualify.”
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@toureiffelallumettes
Topics: Guinness World Record, World News, Instagram
Claire Reid
‘Blue zone’ meal eaten by world’s oldest family every day has incredibly easy recipe to follow
The Melis family were given the Guinness World Record for the highest combined age
The oldest family in the history of the Earth would eat the same meal every single day, with experts billing it as one of the secrets to their long lives. And the dish is incredibly easy to make using many ingredients you will already have at home.
Back in 2012, the Melis family made the history books after being placed in the Guinness World Records for having the oldest recorded set of siblings in the history of humanity.
Coming in at a whopping 861 combined years, the Italian family, who live in the highlands of Sardinia, became entrenched in the history of our species. A total of nine living siblings made up the years averaging out at an age of 95 each.
The eldest of the lot was Consolata Melis, who was 108 years old when she died in 2015. And when speaking about her long life three years earlier, Consolata praised one thing for her many years: the same old lunch she had every single day of her adult life.
What did the Melis family eat?
Last year, the Melis siblings featured on a Netflix documentary series entitled Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones, following US writer Dan Buettner as he visited the world’s five ‘blue zones’.
A blue zone is an area of the world where people are claimed to live longer than on average. And one of these blue zones is Sardinia, where the Melis’ clan call home.
While in Sardinia, Buettner made the very same meal that Consolata praised for her long life. We’re talking about three bean minestrone soup with sourdough bread.
“Every day of their life they had the same meal for their lunch,” he said.
“A sourdough bread, a three bean minestrone soup – a chunky minestrone with garden vegetables. It always had three beans; a garbanzo, a pinto and a white bean. And then they had a small glass of red wine. I’m talking a two to three-ounce glass. Now this wasn’t because ‘my diet requires me to do it’. No, they loved it.”
The Melis family when they were put in to the Guinness World Records (ETTORE LOI / AFP via Getty Images)
Melis minestrone soup recipe
The Melis family’s minestrone soup is an incredibly easy dish to make and one you might appreciate now we’re getting to the cold, winter months where a solid hearty meal hits the right spot.
Buettner said: “Minestrone is simply a soup made from available garden vegetables, beans, and grain (usually a type of pasta).
“The combination yields a delicious one-bowl meal that is high in protein and most importantly, a potpourri of fibres and fuel your microbiome.”
Ingredients include:
- 1/3 lbs dry garbanzo beans
- 1/3 lbs dry white beans
- 1/3 lbs dry pinto or red beans
- 1.5 cups of cubed potatoes
- Six to eight cups of water or veg stock if you like it richer in flavour
- One medium onion, chopped
- Five stalks of celery, chopped
- Five carrots, chopped
- Eight cloves garlic, chopped
- One bay leaf
- One tsp oregano
- Two tbs olive oil
- One tsp red or black pepper (red makes it hotter)
- One – 14 oz can of chopped tomatoes or 5 Roma tomatoes
- Salt to taste
Buettner’s minestrone soup being made (Netflix)
How to cook
Buettner recommends soaking the beans overnight. Instead of this, you can use canned beans ready to go.
He then sautés all of the veg in olive oil on a low heat until the onions cook clear. After this, he will add the beans and a tin of tomatoes, alongside the potatoes, oregano, and bay leaf. Slow cook until beans are tender.
Buettner will let his stew on a low heat all day, keeping an eye on the water level so it doesn’t get too thick or thin.
Samantha Cassetty, a New York City dietitian, previously told Today.com that the people on Earth who live the longest ‘tend to eat half a cup of beans daily’.
Sounds like an easy one to bring into our diets.
Featured Image Credit: ETTORE LOI/AFP via Getty Images/Netflix
Topics: Food And Drink, Health, World News, Netflix
Tom Earnshaw
Man spends eight years making 23ft Eiffel Tower with matchsticks only for Guinness World Record entry to be rejected
It was made out of more than 700,000 matchsticks
You’ve got to feel for this dude – who spent eight years making a 23ft Eiffel Tower with matchsticks, only to find out that his Guinness World Record entry was rejected.
French man Richard Plaud dedicated nearly a decade of his life to show off some major patriotism to his country by somehow building a massive Eiffel Tower replica, made out of more than 700,000 matchsticks.
It’s seriously impressive. Take a look in the video below:
Despite showcasing immense patience and talent, it seems the Guinness World Records were not going to recognise his efforts.
The 47-year-old, as you’d imagine, was far from impressed, and took to Instagram to let off some steam.
He wrote (translated): “The Guinness Book judges gave their verdict, without having seen my tower in real life.
“It’s pretty astonishing, and actually rather annoying. Not exactly fair play.
“What hurts most is that they don’t acknowledge the work that I put in, the time I spent, the mental energy – because I can tell you it was not easy.”
It turned out one tiny detail meant Plaud’s years of work would go unrecognised.
Instagram/@toureiffelallumettes
Plaud wrote: “As referenced in the guidelines: The matches used must be commercially available. Proof of this must be provided as evidence.
“As the matchsticks were not commercially available, and were not recognized as matchsticks the attempt has been disqualified.
“BIG DISILLUSION, DISAPPOINTMENT AND INCOMPREHENSION.
“Tell me [how] the 706,900 rods stuck one by one are not matches!!?? And they are too cut to the point of being unrecognizable!!??
“Clearly, the English are really different……
“My matchstick tower is still tall and will be 7.19 meters for a long time!!!!! No offence to the English.
“They reckoned that my matches weren’t available for sale. So they didn’t qualify.”
Instagram/@toureiffelallumettes
Despite the less than favourable ending to the story, some social media users praised Plaud for his work regardless.
“Congratulations their weak regulations don’t matter it’s the result that counts. You created a work of art,” one user wrote.
“Sir very nice job, bravo,” another simply added.
Mark McKinley, Director of Central Records Services at Guinness World Records, said: “It’s the job of our records management team to be thorough and fastidious in reviewing evidence to make sure the playing field is level for everyone attempting a Guinness World Records title, however it does appear we might have been a little heavy handed with this application.
“We will make contact with the record holder again as well as review rules for similar records as a priority, to see what can be done.”
LADbible has contacted Guinness World Records for comment.
