A GREAT-GRANDMOTHER is dancing her way into married life today – two days before her 90th birthday.

Gladys Lewis and 85-year-old Jim Portman, who met five years ago, are due to marry at St Mary de Wyche Church in Wychbold, at 3pm.

The happy couple will celebrate their marriage with a party on Monday – Valentine’s Day and the bride’s 90th birthday – organised by members of the WI, where she is a member.

For the future Mrs Portman, meeting her husband fulfilled a wish she made 10 years ago on her 80th birthday.

She said: “I was asked what I wished for and told them I would like a nice fellow who isn’t shorter than me, has got a car and likes dancing. He must like dancing. And now I have it all.”

The wedding has become a village event, with friends offering to help with every aspect from the invitations, to the flowers and the cake.

It has all taken the octogenarians a little by surprise but they admit they do not think they could be any happier than they are now.

They only made the decision to formalise their relationship after Gladys fell and broke her hip six months ago.

Jim said: “When she was in hospital I called up and was told she was very restless in the night. So when I went up to the hospital, I asked what the matter was.

“And she said, ‘I’ve thought about it, I’ve worked it all out – we are getting married on my birthday’. I had asked her before, but always casually.”

But it all could have been so different had Jim not given in to his friend’s nagging and gone to a dance.

Jim said: “I kept saying I’ve not got anyone to dance with. My friend said, ‘Gladys will dance with you’.

“So I went and there was this attractive young woman – and that was Gladys.”

The fact that Jim didn’t know the dance was no hindrance either.

He said: “I said,’ I’m sorry I don’t know this dance’, but she said, ‘Well, you will know it when I’m finished with you’.

Romance soon blossomed and eventually Jim moved in to Gladys’s home in Chequers Lane, Wychbold, where they kept themselves busy dancing six times a week – although these days it’s down to three.

Gladys said: “It’s no fun being alone.” And Jim said: “She keeps me going.”

But the couple – who have both lost spouses and have three daughters, 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren between them – are aware that today they’re facing stiff competition from a wedding a little later in the year.

Gladys said: “The royalty decided to get married this year as well. I don’t know if their’s will be as good though. I don’t think they have as many friends.”

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