A WOMAN who was born in Shipton Bellinger has been celebrated as the world’s oldest person.

Ethel Caterham was born on August 21, 1909, making her 115 years old.

The news was announced by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) – which seeks to record the lives of people who eclipse the lifespan of 110 years or more – following the death of 116 year-old Inah Canabarro Lucas from Brazil.

Ethel grew up in Tidworth and tied the knot with husband Norman at Salisbury Cathedral, where Norman had been a choir boy in years past.

The record-holder was interviewed by the BBC on her 115th birthday last August, where she told reporters she “didn’t know why there was all the fuss” and that the secret to her longevity was “never arguing with anyone, I listen and I do what I like”.

The BBC say the new record has been confirmed by Guinness World Records and LongeviQuest, a database of the world’s oldest people.

Ethel celebrated her 115th birthday in August last year Picture: Hallmark Lakeview Luxury Care Home

She was the second-youngest of eight siblings, and a long and healthy life seems to run in the family, as one of her sisters, Gladys Babilas (1897 to 2002), lived to be 104.

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The GRG said Ethel embarked on a solo voyage to India by ship in 1927 when she was 18, where she worked as a nanny for a British family.

Her trip took her three weeks by ship, and she stayed in India for three years before returning to England.

Ethel met future husband Norman – a major in the British Army – at a dinner party.

Norman’s work saw the couple stay in Harnham before being stationed in Hong Kong and Gibraltar.

While abroad in Hong Kong, Ethel established a nursery for local and British children, where she taught English, games, and crafts. In Gibraltar, she and her husband started a family, ultimately raising two daughters in the UK.

Norman sadly passed away in 1976.

Ethel’s later life saw her reside in Surrey for more than 50 years.

She received a special letter from the King on her 115th birthday Picture: Hallmark Lakeview Luxury Care Home

Dr Wacław Jan Kroczek from the GRG said: “Remarkably, she continued to drive until she was 97 years old and remained an avid bridge player well into her centenarian years.

“Currently, she resides in a care home in Ash Vale, Surrey.

“In 2020, at the age of 110, Ethel Caterham contracted COVID-19 during the global coronavirus pandemic. Fortunately, she made a successful recovery, becoming one of the oldest known survivors of the disease.”

Ethel is also one of the oldest people to survive Covid-19, after contracting it in 2020 at the age of 110, according to Guinness World Records.

Hallmark Lakeview Luxury Care Home celebrated the news, with the care home posting a message on social media.

“Huge congratulations to Lakeview resident, Ethel on becoming the oldest person in the world! What an incredible milestone and a true testament to a life well-lived,” the message read.

“Your strength, spirit, and wisdom are an inspiration to us all. Here’s to celebrating your remarkable journey!”