Europe's oldest woman Ana Vela, 116, dies in Barcelona

Ana María Vela Rubio (pictured right) was 116 years and 47 days old when she passed away last night (Friday) at La Verneda retirement centre where she had been living since she was 110, but attending as a day-centre visitor since age 103.

Ana Vela became the third-oldest person on earth after the recent death of Violet Brown, 117 years and 189 days, in Jamaica, and the oldest person in Europe when Italy's Emma Morano died on April 15 this year aged 117 and 137 days – only the second person left on earth, other than Violet, who was born in the 19^th century.

Ana Vela, a seamstress by trade born in Puente Genil (Córdoba province) on October 29, 1901, was orphaned as a child, ran a haberdashery in Málaga and had all four of her children out of wedlock, since their father's parents did not approve of their relationship and would not give their permission for the couple to marry.

She moved to Barcelona in 1950, where she worked at the tuberculosis sanatorium as seamstress.

Ana Vela only has one surviving child, also called Ana (pictured left) and aged 90, who used to visit her daily as she lived very close to the La Verneda centre, but at the time of her mother's death she had moved into it herself as her health is in a delicate condition and she suffers from Alzheimer's.

The other daughter Ana Vela had, Carmelita, died at just 10 years old, whilst her two sons Antonio and Juan died aged 82 and 86 respectively.

Ana Vela's funeral was today (Saturday).

Only two Japanese women were older than Ana Vela on the day she died, according to the Gerontology Research Group (GRG).

Photograph: Pensioners' Democratic Union (Unión Democrática de Pensionistas)