World's oldest woman lives in Staffordshire

Born in 1885
The world's oldest woman was named yesterday as Eva Morris, 114, of Stone in Staffordshire.

Her birth certificate states her life began in Newcastle under Lyme on November 18, 1885. She was given the title by the Guinness Book of Records after it rejected a Dominican woman claiming to be 125.

Britain also has the world's oldest man, Harry Halford, born on June 15, 1891 in Leicester where he still lives, though his title is also disputed, from Japan.

Mrs Morris worked as a domestic help in Stafford. She was widowed in the 1930s and her only child. Winnie, died of cancer in 1975, aged 62. Only when she got a chest infection at 107 did Mrs Morris leave her flat and enter the Autumn House nursing home in Stone.

A friend, Margaret Moult, said that Mrs Morris, who is deaf and partially sighted, had replied "Oh! am I?" when told by nurses of her fame.

According to Mrs Moult, Mrs Morris attributes her long life to work, exercise, boiled onions and a daily tot of whisky with her cup of tea. "She used to enjoy a cigarette and rode a bicycle, but she's never had a day's illness apart from chest infections, which are down to old age," Mrs Moult said.

Elizabeth Israel of Dominica claims she was born on January 27, 1875 but has no birth certificate, although other documents may be accepted. If so, she would be the oldest person ever; the past holder, Jeane Louise Calment, died in 1986 at 122. Guinness World Records is waiting confirmation that Sadayoshi Tanabe of Kawasaki was born in 1889.