Ananova:

A Palestinian woman claims she is 120 years old which would make her the oldest person in the world.

The Guinness Book of Records lists 114-year-old Edna Parker of Shelbyville, Indiana, as holding the title.

But Mariam Amash, who lives in the predominantly Arab town of Jisr az-Zarqa in Israel, views her rival as a relative youngster.

"Yes, I am the oldest person in the world," she says. "I eat, I drink, and I take showers. I hope to keep going for another 10 years."

Mrs Amash has 10 children, 120 grandchildren, 250 great-grandchildren, and 30 great-great-grandchildren, according to relatives.

The discovery that she may be the oldest person in the world came by chance when she applied for a new Israeli identity card.

The Israeli authorities issued the identity card based on a birth document issued by the Turkish authorities who ruled the region at the time.

Mrs Amash, of Bedouin descent, says that the secret to her longevity is a healthy diet - she eats lots of vegetables.

A spokesman for the Guinness Book of Records says it will consider her claim if she can provide evidence of her age.