Gym-goer Gordon celebrates his 90th

The Beech Hill resident celebrated his 90th birthday on Wednesday - with a surprise party at the gym he attends.

He regularly goes to Apple Fitness in Pemberton, so his friends there decided to hold a special celebration.

Mr Fairhurst said: “I had an inkling if I’m quite truthful but having said that, what a very, very pleasant surprise.

“They had certainly gone to town with cakes, sandwiches and drinks. You name it, it was all there.”

It followed a surprise party to mark the 92nd birthday of his sister Dorothy Bentham, who also attends the centre.

Gym owner Pauline Astbury said: “You have to celebrate someone who’s 90 and comes to the gym.

“I believe we are the only gym in Wigan with two nonagenarians.”

The party included homemade cakes baked by gym members, Mr Fairhurst’s favourite songs from years gone by and presents, including a single red rose for his lapel.

Miss Astbury said: “It was brilliant. I couldn’t have wished for a better morning. He had a whale of a time.”

Mr Fairhurst has been a member of Apple Fitness for around five years, joining when it was based at Wigan Enterprise Park.

He said: “My sister was going there and she said it was about time I get off my backside and did a bit of exercise also.”

Mr Fairhurst aims to go to the centre three times a week, but admits he usually gets there twice.

He said: “I must admit I’m a lazy so and so, but keeping fit does help. I like going for the exercise and the ladies that attend there are a great crowd. I can’t praise them enough.”

Mr Fairhurst said his “new knee” stopped him using some machines at the gym, but he does what he can.

“Fortunately when we finish doing our exercises on the machines Pauline arranges that we have a cup of tea, so it’s social as well as exercise,” he said.

Mr Fairhurst was born and bred in Standish and has spent most of his life in Wigan, with a spell living in west Africa.

He was married for 50 years and used to work as a mining electrical engineer.

Mr Fairhurst’s birthday was on Wednesday, but he had already been celebrating for several days.

Friends and relatives travelled from Scotland and Devon to mark the milestone with him.