AN emotionally charged service to reaffirm and bless a Barnoldswick couple's 30-year-old wedding vows was held at Airedale Hospital's Chapel of the Good Shepherd - the first service of its kind to be held there.

When Linda and Larry Mallaburn tied the knot in 1972, little did they realise the significance of the words "in sickness and in health".

For the past 19 years, Linda has been fighting cancer, first as a breast lump and later spreading to her lung and liver.

So many years of debilitating treatments and stays in hospital would test any marriage, but Linda and Larry's has withstood the test, with more support from their three sons, Nicky, Kirk and Luke, now all grown up.

As Linda's long battle nears its now inevitable end, that love and support of her family is more important than ever and it was in plentiful supply at Saturday's service.

As a surprise, Linda and Larry were collected from their home in Rainhall Crescent in a stretch limousine and chauffeured to Airedale, where she has received most of her treatment. Around 50 family and friends were there to greet them.

"Linda looked absolutely beautiful," said Linda's sister Ellie Garner. "Doctors had tried to persuade her to move the date forward but she wouldn't hear of it. She said she'd walk down the aisle and back again - and she did.

"It was a very emotional day and the service was absolutely superb."

It was the first time such a service had been held in the chapel there. Afterwards there was a buffet on Ward Three for the nurses and medical staff who have looked after Linda, and later in the afternoon there was a reception for around 100 family and friends at Barnoldswick Civic Hall.

Among them were Linda's mother and step-father and her four grandchildren.

This week Linda and Larry were enjoying a holiday together at the coast.

Readers might recall that last summer Ellie and her young son Garron both had their heads shaved in support of Linda and to raise money for Barnoldswick and Earby Bosom Friends.

At the time Linda had lost her hair as a side-effect of treatment and Ellie said if her sister could cope with that, then so could she. Even so, Ellie was pleased her curls had grown back for Saturday's service.