An octogenarian couple have proved that you’re never too old to get married.

Joan Croasdale, 81, tied the knot with Bernard Roberts, 85, at St John the Evangelist Church, where Joan has worshipped since childhood.

And they became the first couple to wed at the Addison Street church since it reopened after a three-year closure.

Joan said: "I’ve been going to that church ever since I was three years old. To get married in the same church at 81 is quite an achievement."

Reverend John Binks married the couple and the church was packed as friends and family turned out to celebrate the wedding of the popular churchgoers.

Joan’s son, Mark, gave her away and her grandson, Thomas, was one of the ushers, while Bernard’s brother, Alywn, was best man and his nephew, Malcolm Taylor, was the other usher.

Joan, of Nutter Road, said: "We got engaged just after it closed three years ago and I knew I wanted to get married there, so we decided to wait until it opened again."

Bernard lives on Epsom Way.

St John the Evangelist Church closed in June 2007 after problems with electrical wiring led to insurers refusing to cover the 140-year-old building.

The church has now reopened after a £90,000 renovation and a lot of hard work, led by church warden Frank Whitehead.

Joan said: "Frank Whitehead and his team worked like Trojans to get that church ship-shape for our wedding.

"I’m so proud of them."

And church organist, Peter Harrison, went the extra mile – quite literally – to make sure the big day went well.

Peter had promised Joan that he would play at her wedding, but he was on holiday 350 miles away in Aviemore in Scotland.

However, that wasn’t going to keep him from the wedding.

Joan said: "He left his holiday at 5.30am in the morning to drive down to play the organ at our wedding.

"That was a one in a million gesture. It was lovely, it was really kind of him.

"It was a beautiful day from start to finish. I could just do it all again."

The church officially reopened on Sunday September 26, to coincide with the national Back to Church Sunday.

Joan worked as a shop manager and a care assistant in Accrington before her retirement, while Bernard worked as a manager at Howard and Bullough’s.

Bernard said: "It was an absolutely fabulous day, it was magnificent from start to finish."

The happy couple celebrated their wedding with more than 100 family and friends at Accrington Masonic Hall.