ONE lucky grandmother was in for a big surprise when Michael McIntyre video called her to wish her a happy birthday.

Kath Richardson, who will be turning 70 next Monday, was delighted to see the special call come through, but daughter Julie had to spoil the surprise to make sure she picked up.

She said: "My daughter knows I like Michael McIntyre and he's been spending two hours each day video calling people as part of a fundraiser for food banks.

"She put me forward for it but they contacted her and said they couldn't do it on the 11th there was a possibility that he could call on Friday.

"She had to pre-warn me because I wouldn't have believed it when I saw the name come up on the phone, it was absolutely brilliant, he just kept giggling."

Mrs Richardson was able to chat with Michael for about three or four minutes, with the popular comedian refusing to believe she was about to turn 70.

They talked about their lives for a little bit, with Michael asking to be introduced to David, Kath's husband of 50 years, who emerged from the garage to speak with Mr McIntyre.

Mrs Richardson added: "We all chatted for a bit and Michael said he'd lost his wedding ring a few days ago which reminded me of when David lost his.

"He'd been working on the roof and when he came back to put it on after two months neither of us could find it.

"We both thought he'd put it in the wardrobe but couldn't find it anywhere.

"He went to go and clean the plug of the bidet and found it just sitting there and when we told Michael he really laughed for a while – he had his head in his hands and just laughed and laughed.

"He doesn't have a bidet but he said it had inspired him to check the loo."

Mr and Mrs Richardson were due to have a very busy year of celebrations, marking their golden wedding anniversary on Valentine's Day, Kath's 70th birthday on May 11, and 30 years of travelling to Romania to help families in extreme poverty in August.

The couple started helping with aid missions to Romania following the 1989 revolution after they saw the distressing images of the orphanages with their church, St Peter's in Smithills.

Their charity, Good News for Romania, was part of a journey which saw the couple adopt an orphan in 1996.

Madi, who needed vital surgery on her arm, came to Bolton when she was five to live with the Richardsons in Smithills, and their four children Steven, Julie, Ian and Caroline.