"BETTER late than never" is the motto of two Farnworth friends who have finally fulfilled a promise to meet up on their silver wedding anniversaries 10 years late.

But Peter Gillmore and Kevin Ward have a good excuse for their poor time keeping -- they live on opposite sides of the world.

The best mates grew up around the corner from each other in Farnworth but now live in Sydney and Bolton respectively.

When Peter worked in Kenya in 1979 they had promised to meet up there again in 1991 for their silver weddings.

But the once insperable friends, who now rarely see each other, had to wait until last month to fulfil that promise when Kevin and his wife Jo visited them in Australia.

Kevin, who now lives in Riding Gate, Harwood, said: "We always intended to meet up in 1991 but while my wife Jo and I made it, Peter and his wife Gerian didn't.

"But we were and still are good friends and we were determined to do it.

"It was our 35th wedding anniversary instead of our 25th. But that doesn't matter as it was the first time we had met up in 20 years."

Anyone who wants to contact Peter should write to 1/36, Hill Street, Fairlight, NSW 2094, Australia.

His mother Florence, who was secretary of the St James Mothers Union, in New Bury, for 40 years is also still living in Australia after emigrating in 1995.