Laura Elston

Ethel Caterham, a Surrey resident living at Hallmark Lakeview Care Home in Lightwater, is celebrating her 117th birthday after becoming the world's oldest living person in April 2025. She marked the occasion with family and friends and reflected on recent milestones, including meeting King Charles III and stroking a llama. Born in Hampshire in 1909, Caterham worked in India, lived overseas with her British Army husband, established a nursery school in Hong Kong and survived Covid-19 at age 110. She remains younger than Jeanne Calment, who holds the record for the oldest person ever at 122 years and 164 days.