THE district's oldest resident celebrated his 107th birthday on Tuesday.
Allen Smith was joined by family members during a special party at Elm Bank Care Home, in Hexham - including his younger brother Lawrence who is just two birthdays off becoming a centenarian himself!
"It's great to be 107," Allen said, "but if I had better eyesight, I would still be living independently at home.
"But I get well looked after here, the company and the food are good, and I'd like to think I've got another four or five birthdays to go."
Until recent years, both men carried flaming tar bar'ls at Allendale's New Year festival.
Read the full story in this week's Hexham Courant.
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