'World's oldest man' dies in Cuba

A Cuban man who claimed to be the oldest person in the world has died in hospital at what he believed was the age of 126.

Benito Martinez, whose age was never proved, was the star attraction of a Cuban government campaign to promote healthy lives for its oldest citizens.

He was absolutely certain that he was born in Haiti in 1880.

Mr Martinez had long enjoyed being living proof that it was possible to live happily to a very ripe old age.

Until his last months, he led a relatively active life, tending plants outside his one-bedroom house, visiting the local old people's home and being more than happy to demonstrate that being 120-plus did not mean you could not dance.