SATURDAY marked the 10th anniversary of the annual garden party and plant sale in aid of hospice care in Burnley and Pendle.

And it was also the 10th year that John Whitford has helped grow and sell hundreds of plants for Pendleside Hospice Care.

Mr Whitford held his first garden party in May 1994 at his then home in Rosemount Avenue, Burnley.

It was to be a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the first time he met his wife, Jean, but she tragically lost her fight with cancer in January of that year.

He went ahead with the party and used the event to raise money for Burnley and Pendle Hospice Care.

Mr Whitford, who now lives at Appleby Drive, Barrowford, with his partner Brenda Ellis, grows hundreds of plants for the sale, which was moved to the Hospice at Pendleside, Colne Road, Reedley, four years ago.