MARRIAGE is Strictly wonderful for a Blackburn couple who are about to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary.

Great-grandparents Lily and Jim Wilson, who are both in their 90s, still go dancing twice a week and put their long-lasting love down to being perfectly in sync with each other both on and off the dancefloor.

Included in their repertoire are line dancing, salsa and their all-time favourite, the Glenroy Foxtrot.

Lily, who is a retired weaver, said dancing had helped keep the pair, who live in Cherry Tree, fit and healthy so they could continue their long and happy life together.

She said: “The first thing I noticed about Jim was that he had black hair and he was a very smart lad.

“We still dance twice a week now and it keeps us going. We see our friends and it keeps us on our toes.”

The pair, who go dancing at the Mill Hill Centre and at St John Vianney Church, met when Jim, 92, was a judo teacher and was invited to tea by Lily’s brother Joe Hillman.

Jim said: “When I saw her, it was love at first sight.”

Jim, who was an engineer during the Second World War, and Lily, 91, were married on September 30, 1944 at the Queen’s Hall, in Darwen Street.

They celebrated with breakfast at Lily’s mother’s house and a cake which made with ingredients bought after saving up rations vouchers.

They now have a daughter, two grandsons and three great-grandsons.

Three parties, including one for family and one at each of the dance centres, are to be held to mark the diamond wedding anniversary for the couple, who are also members at the Woodlands United Reformed Church, in Preston Old Road.

Jim and Lily said they had no plans to give up dancing.

“It keeps us young and spritely,” Lily said.

Jim, who worked for English Electric after coming out of the RAF, also offered a word of advice to couples just starting out their lives together.

He said: “The secret is knowing two little words — ‘Yes dear’.”