Burnley couple really are 'one in a million' as they celebrate 70 years of wedded bliss

It was Bill's lucky day for Dorothy agreed and the couple have just notched up their 70th wedding anniversary, a very rare achievement indeed as statistics show that only around 60 people in the UK ever achieve this. Put another way it means Bill and Dorothy really are one in a million!

Patience and tolerance are the key to success for this remarkable couple who say they feel lucky to have been blessed with good health and a wonderful family, including their seven children, 21 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Sadly one of their sons, Michael, died last year and the couple miss him dearly.

Both staunch worshippers at St Mary's Church in Burnley, it was the church youth club where the couple first met. Dorothy's parents ran the White Lion pub in Burnley and the newly weds lived there with them for a couple of years before setting up home on their own.

Dorothy said: "Yes it was hard work and we didn't have a lot back then but you wouldn't have known."

While bringing up the family Dorothy did secretarial work and also worked at the former Grenfell factory. Bill is believed to be one of the last ever stone setters in the UK and he ran his own business laying cobbles, as they are more commonly known, for several years.

Married in the same year that the late Queen came to the throne, the couple are now looking forward to witnessing their second Coronation when Charles is officially made King in May.