ONE of Exmoor’s oldest residents, Bob Shire, has died at the age of 102.

Mr Shire, who lived in Wootton Courtenay, was life president of the village croquet club and also the West Somerset Short Mat Bowls League.

He was still playing croquet shortly before his 100th birthday in 2021, but by then had stopped driving his prized Mazda sports car. 

Mr Shire, a retired engineer, kept himself fit and busy with model making, and also continued to enjoy ‘a little tipple of whisky’.

He had lived in Wootton Courtenay for about 40 years until his death on Tuesday (September 26).

His 100th birthday was celebrated in the village hall with a cake made as a replica of a short mat bowls match showing him bowling the winning wood as other club members looked on.

He had also received a congratulatory centenary card from the Queen.

Village gardening club chairwoman Marion Jay said: “He enjoyed crosswords, still managing to complete the Telegraph crossword only a few days before he died, and he loved model making.

“He was a great character who will be sadly missed by all who knew him.”

Details of Mr Shire’s funeral arrangements are still to be announced.