A WESTBROOK couple celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary tomorrow, Friday.

Patricia and Kenneth Bird, of Bristow Close off Burtonwood Road, have been together since they were aged 15 and 16.

"We have had a good life together. I just hope we carry on for another 50 years!" said Patricia, aged 70.

"We have got three good children. I wouldn't change them for the world."

She said her advice to young couples hoping for a long marriage was to work at it', and Kenneth, aged 71, said understanding each other was important.

The couple met at Bell Hall dance hall in Orford Lane. Patricia was from Broadbent Avenue in Latchford, and Kenneth was from Helsby Street in Fairfield.

They married at St Elphin's Church in 1956.

"The service was lovely but the weather was terrible - it never stopped raining all day," said Kenneth, who played professional rugby for Wigan for two-and-half seasons before an eye injury forced him out of the game.

Patricia worked for British Aluminium in Bank Quay, then ran a general store on Lovely Lane, and the couple lived on Manchester Road, then in Burtonwood, before moving to Westbrook.

The couple's children are: Tony, aged 42, who has his own electrical engineering company and lives in Melton Mowbray, David, aged 41, who lives at home and works at Ikea, and Stuart, aged 39, who lives at home and works at Gulliver's theme park.

They have three grandchildren - all Tony's children - Adrian, aged 20, Lauren, aged 18, and Samantha aged 15.