TWO child sweethearts who met building theatre sets in Burnley celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary.

Henry and Jessie Rough, aged 91 and 90, celebrated the milestone – one year on from a Platinum anniversary – at their nursing home Victoria House, in Brierfield, with a party.

The couple, who have two children – Garth, 62, and Brenda, 66 – married at Holy Trinity church, Habergham Eaves, Burnley in 1944.

Henry, known as Harry, was a mechanic at Burnley bus depot on Queensgate, and Jessie, nee Crawshaw, was a secretary at Townley and Burnley high schools, the latter 100 yards from their home.

Garth said: “They met at Burnley Boys Club and they are both Burnley born and bred. My dad was 13 and my mum was 12 and my dad used to do loads with Burnley Lads Club.

“He used to help build the sets and mum would come along to help and that’s how they met .”

Jessie and Harry have five grandchildren – Garth’s sons Adam, 39, and Stuart, 37, and Brenda’s children Emma, 38, Guy, 37, and Holly, 36.

They also have nine great-grandchildren Kyle, 12, Harrison, 11, George, 12, Jenson, five, Ruben, five, Peyton, one, Ewan, seven, Alfie, seven, Alice, 10, and ‘one en route – Holly is pregnant to make it double figures’.

But Garth, who is 63, missed the big party – the coach driver was stuck on the M1 following a chemical spill.

And the secret of a happy marriage?

Garth says: “My dad’s quite deaf and he just smiles and nods his head.

“He’s happy-go-lucky and he always agrees with her.

“She has worn the trousers half the time he hasn’t heard what she says.

“He was full of it after the party, but they were fabulous parents. When my kids were little they never said, ‘no’ and they always looked after the grandkids at the drop of a hat.”

And a son’s favourite memory: “I remember my dad coming home on his pushbike and I used to run down the road with a cushion so it didn’t hurt when he gave me a ride on the crossbar.”