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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ashley Pemberton & Lucy Thornton

Britain's oldest lorry driver, 90, wakes up at 4am every day and has no plans to retire

Look out, this lorry driver’s just hit 90! But don’t worry, it’s his age, not his speed.

Brian Wilson has been behind the wheel for almost 70 years.

The only reason he wasn’t out delivering as usual on his 90th birthday last Thursday was because his lorry is in for repairs.

Brian has never had an accident in all his years of driving and the longest he spent off work was seven weeks when he broke his foot aged 40.

He said: “I have to go for a medical to get my driver’s licence renewed every year, and every year I pass it.

He has no plans to retire despite turning 90 (Scott Merrylees / SWNS)
Brian with his mother Gertrude (Courtesy Wilson family / SWNS)

“I’ll keep going as long as I can. I’m that used to doing it, it’s just a part of life.

“Sometimes I’m up at 4am to set off on the road for 5am.

“I get all restless lounging about in the house if I’m off work. I just want to get back to work after a few days.”

Brian, of Sheffield, South Yorks, started driving armoured trucks during his national service in 1950 when he was stationed in Germany.

When he returned back to Britain after being demobbed, he started delivering petrol for Esso in 1953.

A year later, his father founded a haulage firm, E. Wilson & Sons, which Brian took over in the 1970s. He has run it ever since and also drives for Ember Transport.

The father-of-four has been married to Mavis, 88, for 68 years, having met her at a fairground aged 15.

Brian puts his longevity down to his healthy lifestyle.

He added: “I’ve always kept myself fit, I love sport. I was playing cricket until I was 60. I only stopped because the team disbanded.”

The Wilson family have been weighing up calling the Guinness Book of World Records to see if he can officially take the title of oldest lorry driver but Brian says he “doesn’t want the fuss”.

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