FENCE: Roy celebrates 71 years since joining RAF

Roy Hardacre, aged 89, attended a dinner dance at the Monterey Beach Hotel in St Annes and an afternoon tea party at Parks Art Deco Cafe in Blackpool the following day, both of which were held in honour of him.

He volunteered to join the RAF aged 18 on November 15th 1939 at the outbreak of the Second World War.

Roy, who was born in Brierfield, was taken by the surprise at the two events and feels very humbled by people who think so much of him.

He said: “I must admit I feel very proud and very privileged. The people at Blackpool have taken me under their wings now for around three years and I’m still glad to be here joining in.

“We had a ball of a time. There was a 10 piece band on, ball room dancing and a load of friends from Blackpool.”

Lucy Breeze, from Best Kept Secrets, who organised the evening dinner dance for Roy said: “We knew it was his 71st anniversary and we thought, ‘that’s an achievement.’

“Roy’s wonderful, we met him through dancing. He’s really dynamic, interested in just about everything and has brought sunshine into our lives.”

Roy invited four people from Pendle to go with him for the dinner dance, one of which was Michael Sutcliff, a Brierfield Town Councillor and a Royal British Legion representative.

He said: “Roy in many ways is young for his age. He joined the RAF at the start of the war and has become a local hero. The evening was good, very well attended and it was a nice dinner dance among friends.”