HE was born an Englishman and became a Welshman, so it's no surprise that Trevor Goldsworthy considers himself to be British.

The retired furnaceman, who grew up in Kimberley Terrace, Newport, celebrated his 100th birthday this week and can still remember when the old Monmouthshire was on the other side of the border.

"I've always considered myself to be from Newport," said Mr Goldsworthy, who marked the occasion with a meal and a day out with family and friends.

"Whether I'm Welsh or English it's hard to say!"

The centenarian currently lives at Sunnyside nursing home, in Maindee, where his daughter, Sue, works as a care assistant.

He has a large family including six children, 12 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

A furnaceman at Uskside Engineering for 45 years until his retirement, Mr Goldsworthy has lived through two world wars.

"I was ten and still at school when the First World War broke out," he said. "I was exempt from service for the second war because of the job I did. "We would make all sorts of shafts and aircraft parts during that war."

Mr Goldsworthy, who recently discovered that his name originates from Cornwall, has witnessed a lot of changes to Newport over ten decades. He has seen many new roads and estates, but cited one of the most significant developments was the erection of the George Street Bridge.

"That saved me a lot of time getting to and from work," he laughed. Son-in-law Cecil Rabjohns, aged 65, claimed the secret to Mr Goldsworthy's many happy returns was "hard work and plenty of walking".

"He used to walk all over the place," said Mr Rabjohns. "He also likes to drink small amounts of whisky, which I reckon has probably given him an extra ten years!"