AN engineer who met Winston Churchill during the Second World War will celebrate his 100th birthday today (June 24).

Lionel Tysoe, of Storer Court, Geraldine Road, Malvern, met the Prime Minister while developing folding wings for aircraft carrier planes.

Mr Tysoe also met his wife, Rita, during the war when she was an inspector for the Aeronautical Inspection Directorate (AID).

Kim Barker, Mr Tysoe's private carer, said: "He's had a wonderful life.

"He met Churchill when designing the folding wing for Miles Aircraft.

"Meeting Churchill was his claim to fame. He thought he was wonderful. I think they met in 1942 in the dark days of the war.

"His wife was one of the first AID inspectors during the war. They married on Christmas Eve.

"They biked all the way from Oxford to Worcester to get married. They would have been married for 74 years this year. She died in 2014."

Ms Barker said the couple spent a period of time in Africa, where they had a son called Kevin.

Kevin now works as a teacher in China but flew back home yesterday to celebrate his father's 100th birthday.

Mr Tysoe grew up in Ronkswood, Worcester, and studied at Sunnyside School before attending a local grammar school and then Brighton College.