World's oldest man, 111, says love is the secret to long life after title passed on to him with the death of British 112-year-old

A grandfather from Romania has been awarded the title of the world's oldest man - and says that love is the secret to long life. 

Dumitru Comanescu, aged 111 years and 203 days old, inherited the title following the death of British man Bob Weighton, who died yesterday aged 112.

The Romanian super-centenarian - someone aged 110 plus - was born on 8 November 1908 in Proviţa de Jos, Drăgăneasa commune, in the county of Prahova.

'I feel honored and blessed to be, officially, the oldest man in the world and to represent Romania at the highest level! It's incredible!' Comanescu, who lives at the Bucharest Center for Seniors, said, according to the Daily Mail.  

He said that the secret of his long life was the love of his wife, sons, and grandchildren and told fans that 'I hope you will outrgrow me'. 

No stranger to hard work, Comanescu graduated from university in 1933 and worked as an agricultural engineer and in plant pathology for an astonishing 70 years, Romanian Insider said.

The great-grandfather has lived through an impressive number of historical moments including both world wars, numerous Romanian military dictatorships, as well the Soviet Union's occupation of Romania between 1944 and 1958.

Comanescu had already been declared the oldest Romanian citizen of Bucharest in February this year and awarded around €1,046 and an honorary plaque as an homage to his life.

The Guinness World Records have confirmed his status as the world's oldest man after Bob Weighton, who was 112 years old, died from cancer - despite never having smoked a cigarette. 

Mr Weighton had only been the world's oldest man since February after the dead of 112-year-old Chitetsu Watanabe from Japan, and passed away at his flat in Hampshire. 

Mr Weighton's final birthday celebration on March 29 was held behind closed doors because of the coroanvirus lockdown, with the super-centenarian describing the world as in 'a bit of a mess'.

In a statement, his grandson Magnus described 'our beloved Bob' as a 'witty, kind, knowledgeable, conversationalist father, grandfather and great grandfather'. 

The oldest verified person in the world to have ever existed was Jeanne Calment of France, who was born in 1875 and died in 1997, having survived until she was 122 years and 164 days old.