A COUPLE who eloped to Gretna Green as young sweethearts are celebrating their golden wedding.

Chris Ruane, aged 78, and his wife, Jean, aged 67, met on a blind date outside the former Grosvenor pub in Widnes.

Mum-of-two Jean, of Grizedale, Hough Green, said: “My friend asked me to go on a blind date.

“I was only 16 but I told him Chris I was 17.

“He was absolutely gorgeous, the most handsome man I had ever met.”

Former SS Fisher and More pupil Jean said it was love at first sight as they were immediately besotted with each other.

She said: “There was no such thing as living together then. I asked my dad if I could get married when I was 18 and he said ‘no’ so we decided to run away.”

They eloped six months after they met and were one of the last couples to get married 'over the anvil'.

Jean said her parents Iris and James Smith from Quinn Street welcomed Chris into the family.

She said: “My mum and dad were lovely.

“The only thing I ever missed was a wedding dress and photographs.”

Irish-born Chris from Roscommon was fostered as a baby and traced his birth mum, Kate in London when he was 20.

He worked as a foreman steel fixer.

The couple who have have two sons, Kieran, aged 48, and Kyle, aged 44, and four grandchildren say their close-knit family means everything to them.

They often share Sunday dinner with 12.

Jean added: “We are closer now than ever.

“People said it wouldn’t last but we have always had a very close family.

“Everyone loves Chris. He had a hard start being fostered but he is a lovely man.

“He found his birth mother and idolised her.

“I am so fortunate. Looking back, I wouldn’t have changed a thing.”

Their family is arranging a surprise celebration for their 50th wedding anniversary on September 14.