A NEWPORT veteran celebrated his 100th birthday surrounded by more than 200 family members, friends and local dignitaries yesterday.

More than 200 people including dignitaries such as Newport mayor David Atwell, family members of Mr Jones and others turned up to the birthday party at Tredegar Park Golf Club in Rogerstone.

The 100-year-old – who lives in Bassaleg – is well-known across Gwent for his work selling poppies for the Royal British Legion’s annual Poppy Appeal, which he has done for the past 30 years.

The party was organised by Mr Jones’ family and friends, with balloons filling the room and a packed buffet table for guests.

On reaching 100, Mr Jones said: “I never thought I would reach this age. It’s marvellous, wonderful.”

Mr Jones also hinted that even though he said he’d be retiring from the Poppy Appeal, he may return again this year.

“I said that [I’d retire] the last two years but Mike [Jones] has just told me I’m registered to come down again this year. I don’t mind as long as I’m healthy, I enjoy it,” he said.

Speaking about him being such a well-known figure, Mr Jones said: “I’m very popular apparently. I don’t know why. I never told anybody about my past and life until I was about 80.”

His nephew Chris Blight said: “My earliest memories of Ron was when I was probably a child and went up at his mum’s house at family gatherings. I remember playing cards with him when I was about five or six.

“He’s always been very reliable and on time. He’s a very disciplined man. This appears to be the first person we know in our family that has reached 100, it’s quite an achievement.”

Mr Jones’s friend and Poppy Appeal organiser for Gwent Mike Jones said: “Ron helped me out several years ago by coming to a Royal British Legion event to help support it. Since then he has become a friend really.

“He is a very humbling man.

“The way he sees things is phenomenal. The stories he tells, particularly when he came home from the war and his wife had to put him in the bath, and things like this.

“It’s just unbelievable what that man has been through and to see him on his birthday – 100-years-old – having been through such extreme things is absolutely phenomenal.”