LANDLORD John Boyle came up with a novel way of boosting trade and cheering up some of his customers in 1991.

For he was urging newly-divorced couples to get in touch - so that he could arrange a celebration!

Divorce parties were offering a new line in knees-ups at John’s hostelry - The Shakespeare in Farnworth - and the jovial Scotsman said that since he had started advertising the he had been swamped with interested parties.

John said: “I just thought that with the divorce rate climbing higher and higher all the time I would do this.

“I know that people suffer tremendous heartache during divorce and this was my tongue-in-cheek way of lightening the subject a bit for them.”

John was known as a bit of a joker and could often be found serving behind the bar in a comedy wig and a kilt to get a laugh from his regulars.