BURY woman Amy Hulmes has been dethroned as the world's oldest living person.

But one consolation for the 113-year-old is that she still holds the distinction of being the oldest person in Europe.

As revealed earlier in the Bury Times, the world title has gone to American woman Maud Ferris-Luse.

She was born on January 21, 1887, nearly nine months before Amy.

The Bury woman was named by researchers at the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest just last week following the death of Frenchwoman Marie Bremont at the ripe old age of 115 years and 42 days.

But this was seen as a stop-gap until Guinness could verify documents supplied by Mrs Ferris-Luse's family.

Now, Guinness officials have told the American woman's family that Mrs Ferris-Luse had been officially declared the oldest in the world.

However, although Amy is put into number two spot by Guinness, other respected researchers say Kamato Hongo of Japan is the rightful heir to the title, but as yet, Guinness have failed to verify the claims.