Dearly departed

FOREVER friends ... Annie Walsh, left, and Ivy Turner

TWO best friends who looked out for one another for almost a century, have died within a week of each other.

Childhood companions Annie Walsh and Ivy Turner from Oldham, born a month apart, will not now celebrate their 100th birthdays later this year.

The playground pals — who lived in separate care homes — never had an argument throughout their lives.

They met at the age of four as pupils of the former Higginshaw Lane School in Shaw Road and began a 96-year bond.

Ivy’s nephew, Barry King (68) said: “Both have fallen short of their 100th birthday together — which is a shame, but they both lasted to their 100th year — which is amazing.

“If you ran a national competition to find the longest friendship you would be hard-pressed to find one longer.”

Annie was born in Mortimer Street, Oldham Edge, and then lived in Acre Lane, Derker, after marrying husband Albert.

Ivy lived in Newark Street after marrying Fred, before moving to Harton Close, Shaw.

As the years went by, the ladies always kept in touch — epitomised when both celebrated their 95th birthday together.

Sadly, the pair had not managed to see each other since 2010, due to Ivy’s poor health, but their last face-to-face visit ended in long talks of years gone-by.

Ivy, who lived in Laburnum House, in Shaw, until her death, told the Chronicle, back in 2007: “We are more like sisters than friends.”

Annie, of Avonleigh Gardens Care Home, who died on Valentine’s Day after suffering from a stroke, said almost five years ago: “Our friendship has lasted because we are both even-tempered and don’t get annoyed about things. We’re not a bad lot.”

Christine Riley, one of Annie’s three children, said both enjoyed cycling in their early days - even riding a tandem together.

She said: “They would go on holidays together and they would ride on their bikes to Blackpool from Oldham.”

“They were great friends and myself, my brother Barry and sister Denise, would call Ivy, our ‘Auntie Ivy’.”