Golden oldies! World's oldest married couple celebrate joint 109th and 102nd birthdays

A BRITISH husband and wife have become the world's oldest married couple as they celebrated their joint birthdays – just ahead of their 89th wedding anniversary.

Record-breaking wrinklies Karam and Kartari Chand celebrated their 109th and 102nd birthdays on Sunday ROSS PARRY

Record-breaking wrinklies Karam and Kartari Chand celebrated their 109th and 102nd birthdays Sunday

With a combined age of 211 YEARS, the elderly lovebirds tied the knot in the same year that Margaret Thatcher was born and the Prime Minister was still Stanley Baldwin.

We know that we are blessed and we are eternally grateful for God giving us this land and our lives

Kartari Chand, 102-years-old

Karam Chand turned an impressive 109 on Sunday – the same day his wife of almost 90 years Kartari celebrated turning a staggering 102.

The record-breakers marked the happy occasion with four generations of family at their home in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

After almost 89 years together, Karam and Kartari have watched their family balloon – and now have eight children, 27 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.

The inspiring golden oldies claim to be the world's oldest married couple, tying the knot back in December 1925 after falling in love in India as teenagers.

Karam – who was born in a small rural village in the Punjab region, in northwestern India in 1905 – married his wife at the age of 20.

His family were farmers and in-keeping with the customs of the time, he married Kartari very young.

She was born in 1912 in the same district and the pair wed in a typical Sikh ceremony after her 13th birthday.

The elderly lovebirds tied the knot almost 89 years ago ROSS PARRY

The elderly lovebirds tied the knot almost 89 years ago

Proud son Paul Chand said he was pleased to help his mum and dad celebrate their birthdays this weekend – on the cusp of nearly a century of married life.

He said: "It has been a special day for my family and for us all to be able to come together like this. 

"Relatives have flown in from India to be with us.

"People are so impressed by my parents. 

"They always ask me: 'What do you eat? What are you feeding them and how do they stay so healthy?' 

"I tell them: 'If I knew that I would be eating the same thing myself'.

"Everybody asks how they keep healthy and my answer is that for the last 20 years we have given them a stress-free life."

Karam – who now struggles to walk any great distance without assistance – moved to England with his wife in 1965.

When asked about his tips for living a long and healthy life, the 109-year-old hubby said: "Eat and drink what you want but in moderation. 

"I have never held back from enjoying my life."

The long-retired mill worker smokes one cigarette each and every day before his evening meal.

He also enjoys a tot of whiskey or brandy some three or four times a week.

Speaking to the BBC a few years ago, wife Kartari called their wedding a "blessing".

She said: "When you get so old your eyesight and hearing starts to get weaker and you ache more when moving about. 

"But considering our age and the hard work we have undertaken during our lives, we're not doing so bad. 

"We know that we are blessed and we are eternally grateful for God giving us this land and our lives, but we will be ready to go when it's time as we have lived a very good life."

Son Paul added: "They see every day as a blessing and it's great. 

"We as a family are so proud to have them as parents and we are proud to live so closely with them."

Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?