A well-known Ormskirk couple had a double celebration last week after 70 years of marriage!

Paddy and Betty Moorcroft - who live at Brookside on Aughton St. - celebrated their Platinum anniversary on Wednesday with just one half of their family.

Then on Friday they repeated the celebrations – with the other half!

The couple, aged 91 and 90, first met in Ormskirk in 1948; Betty, originally from Skelmersdale, would come to Ormskirk with her friends to go dancing. They met at the local shop as Betty got off the train: after discovering Paddy lived at the shop, she began visiting more often to see him!

The couple wed at St. Paul’s Parish Church, Skelmersdale in 1950 when Paddy was 21 and Betty 20.

He served in the Army from 1950, based in Scotland, Singapore, Hong Kong and Austria. He then opened his own local plumbing and heating business, still going strong today and run by son David and grandson Jamie. Betty, meanwhile, spent 20 years working as a nursery nurse in Brookside special school for children with disabilities.

They have four surviving children, with David, Lynne, Paul, and Jill taking turns to celebrate the big day on Wednesday and then Friday with a delicious meal in the Brookside Bistro. There are also seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

During their marriage Paddy and Betty spent 18 years living in Fulwood to help Jill with her supermarket business before returning home to Ormskirk in 2012 to settle at Brookside.

Susan Thomas, its scheme manager, said: "What an amazing achievement to reach 70 years of marriage!

“They are a wonderful couple and everyone at Brookside sent them their best wishes and congratulations."

Paddy and Betty are pictured with great grandchildren Keane, Tyler and Jackson,