A horse lover marked his 107th birthday with a surprise visit from one of his favourite four-legged friends.

Jack Ovens, a resident at the Royal Star and Garter Home in Richmond, celebrated his landmark birthday and lifetime love of horses with Jim the shire horse.

Teddington-born Mr Ovens served in the Royal Dragoons regiment between 1926 and 1932, first as a Trooper, then was promoted to Corporal of Horse.

The 107-year-old, who first started looking after horses in the Army at the age of 18, was at one point in charge of 43 horses.

He said: “The way you can tell if a horse likes you is if they nudge you with their nose.”

That’s Life TV presenter Adrian Mills, whose grandfather shares a military past with Mr Ovens, having served in the Household Cavalry, also joined in the celebrations on Monday, July 29.

Later in the day Mr Ovens was joined by relatives and other residents at the home for a cake, music and card from the home’s patron Her Majesty the Queen.

In 1929, Mr Ovens was posted to Secunderabad, India, and was later recalled during the Second World War, retraining as a tank driver and serving in Egypt and then Italy.

Dr Andreas Liefooghe brought Jim along for the birthday celebrations from the Holly Lodge Centre, which promotes the horse as a contemporary working animal in partnership with humans.