Oldest Commonwealth Games baton bearer over the moon to join relay

A 108-year-old man says it will be a "great honour" to carry the Queen's Baton before the Commonwealth Games.

John Farringdon, believed to be the oldest man in the West Midlands, has been selected with hundreds of others in the region to be part of the baton relay ahead of the Games in July.

He will turn 109 on 7 June and will carry on the celebrations by being a baton bearer in Kenilworth.

The relay route through the UK was revealed earlier this month.

After visiting the 72 nations of the Commonwealth, it starts a five-day tour of London during the Platinum Jubilee and will visit 180 locations in England.

The baton ends its 29-day journey through the country - the last 11 in the West Midlands - at Birmingham's Aston Hall on 28 July, the day of the Games' opening ceremony.

Thousands of people have been invited to take part in the relay, between 40 and 130 each day, with Mr Farringdon the oldest.

"It's a great honour," he said.

"Especially an historical one like it is. I don't even know what it looks like, so will I be able to hold it?"

Mr Farringdon started work as a typewriter mechanic before spending more than 40 years working for Ford in Warwickshire.

Born in 1913, he was already 17 years old when Hamilton in Canada hosted the first Commonwealth Games, then called the British Empire Games.

But his selection as baton bearer for Birmingham 2022 has come as quite a shock to residents and staff at Cubbington Mill Care Home in Leamington Spa, where he lives.

"We couldn't believe it," said Samantha Fawcett from the home.

"It just came through out of the blue and John was over the moon, so he just wants to know when, where and what will he wear.

"We're so proud of him."

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