A 92-YEAR-OLD GI bride known as 'The Duchess of Warrington' enjoyed an 'unforgettable' tour of the Town Hall after making an emotional return to the borough.

Olive DeLoma, who grew up in Sankey Bridges, visited the Town Hall for the first time on Monday and was given a guided tour by Mayor Cllr Les Morgan.

She met late husband John while he was based at Burtonwood airbase and got married in 1945 before moving to America a year later.

The pair locked eyes with each other for the first time at a party – a moment she has no trouble recalling.

She said: "I met him at my aunt's house at a Christmas party, she invited everyone including a few GIs.

"He wanted to get married three weeks later.

"We decided to get married before we moved to America in 1946."

But Olive, who has two sons, five grandchildren and nine great grandchildren, admits she 'misses' Warrington very much.

She said: "The only reason I went was because I was so sick of the rations of one egg a month and a bit of meat.

"My husband loved Warrington and wanted to stay but I was the one who wanted to go over there.

"I moved to Connecticut, I was there for 60 years until my husband passed away."

Olive, now living in Washington in America, was given the nickname of 'The Duchess of Warrington' from John.

"He told everyone I was the duchess and they believed him – I did enjoy having that nickname," she said.

The former Bennett's Shirt Works employee thanked Cllr Morgan for taking the time out of his diary to take her around the Town Hall before she returns home.

"This is the first time I've ever been in the Town Hall and it is beautiful," she added.

"I appreciate you showing me around and I will never forget it.

"Everything has changed in Warrington."

Cllr Morgan described Olive as a 'truly remarkable lady'.

He added: "A truly lovely lady with loads of memories of Warrington of her younger days before she left as a GI bride.

"I hope you come here many more times."