Britain’s oldest man made his first visit to London yesterday at the age of 101. Mr John Evans had never found the time or money to make the trip from his home in Forest – fach, near Swansea. But, when British Rail offered him an all – expense – paid birthday treat to the capital he just could not refuse.

He arrived at Paddington Station and smartly turned out in his best suit, favorite Panama hat and a red rose in his buttonhole. “It’s very exciting. There’s no doubt about it,” he said.

Until yesterday he had never been far from home, except for one trip to Aberdeen. “But I’ve been on the seas to that faraway land called Ilfracombe 21 miles from home,” he joked.

Mr Evans, who spent 60 years working as a miner in South Wales, almost made the journey to London once before, at the turn of the century. “There was a trip to the White City but it was ten shill ings return from Swansea – too much I thought. All my money went to the family then,” he said.