THREE telegrams from the Queen proudly hang on the wall of Bill and Lily Pendlebury's seaside home.

Reminders of the vows they made 70 years ago.

The amazing ex-Atherton couple have had telegrams from the Queen for their golden, diamond and platinum wedding anniversaries.

Both 89, Bill and Lily met while working at Atherton's Ena Mill.

"I worked there 30 years as a spinner," recalled Bill. "She worked for me as a piecer."

They met in 1922, started going out with each other at sweet sixteen and married on Christmas Eve 1927 at Hindley St Peter's.

They went to live in a little white-washed cottage in the Flapper Fold mill yard but in 1936 moved to Wavertree Avenue.

Nearly 40 years ago the Pendleburys moved to Blackpool when Bill began work at British Nuclear Fuels at Salwick, Lily being employed at Burton's biscuits factory.

With four daughters and a son, 10 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and four great great-grandchildren, anniversaries play a big part in the Pendleburys' calendar.

The couple still enjoy weekly visits and bingo sessions at the Bloomfield Club, not far from their South Shore home. Although he will shortly celebrate his 90th birthday, sprightly Bill has only just packed in his part-time job as barman there!

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