Couple die within hours after never spending a day apart in 68 years of marriage

A devoted couple who never spent a day away from each other in 68 years of marriage died just hours apart.

George and Dorothy Doughty were together right to the end - passing away within 10 hours of each other, the Manchester Evening News reported.

George, 91, first took ill with a chest infection and was in hospital when his wife Dorothy, 92, suddenly passed away. George then died shortly after.

Their son, Paul, said: "So many people have said to us that there is comfort in knowing that they were together right at the end.

"They didn't know each other had passed and didn't have that stress. It came as such a shock.

"They were just two lovely people who were very family orientated and wanted to be involved in everything."

"They'd been married for 68 years and they were always together, they never spent a day apart."

The couple, of Ashton-under-Lyne, first met after Dorothy's first husband Victor died during the war, after just four months of marriage.

George and Victor were at school together in Somerset and were both in the same regiment.

After Victor was killed, George wrote to give commiserations to widow Dorothy and love blossomed during the hardship of war.

George arranged to travel up to meet Dorothy in her hometown of Stalybridge.

They met for the first time at Manchester Piccadilly train station - he would be carrying a newspaper and Dorothy, a rose.

Son Paul added: "They were just perfect, the best example of two people together.

"So many people just give up on relationships these days. They'd been through hard times but thankfully lots of good ones too.

"They will both be greatly missed."

The couple, who passed away earlier this month, after many happy years in Tameside left behind sons Allan and Paul, grandchildren Stuart, Mark, Rachel, Andrew and Adelle and great-grandchildren Charlotte and Mabel.

Their funeral took place last week at St James' Church in Ashton-under-Lyne. Their coffins lay side by side - hers topped with the newspaper and his, a rose.