Britain's oldest person, Eunice Bowman, died a month before her 112th birthday.

She was born on August 23, 1898.

Mrs Bowman had six children, 17 grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren, five great-great grandchildren and some 30 nephews and nieces.

In May 2010 she became the country's oldest person, earning herself a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

Relative Veronica Birrell, whose grandmother was Mrs Bowman's cousin, paid tribute when she said: “Although we all knew it would happen one day, it's still incredibly sad.

“What I think Eunice would have been pleased with was that she made it to the country's oldest person - she made it to the top of the pack.

“Everybody has so many wonderful memories of this remarkable lady and I think the family is taking comfort in talking about them amongst themselves.

“Every one of her birthdays for the past ten years we made a big fuss and made it special as we also thought it would be her last.

“But she kept on going and amazed us all - she was incredible.”

Mrs Bowman lived most of her life in Windy Nook, Gateshead, and married Robert Pearson and had four children, Norman, Tommy, Doris and Connie.

In 1928, Mr Pearson died from tuberculosis and she later married Frank Bowman and had two more children, Sheila and Ann.