Childhood sweethearts who died a fortnight apart will be remembered by family at Alzheimer’s Society’s Birmingham Memory Walk.

Stories past down generations say it was love at first sight for Arthur Anderson when he clocked eyes on his next door neighbour Dorothy, or Rene as she was best known, in their 20s.

The couple tried to keep their romance low key but Arthur’s seven siblings were good at catching them out, usually kissing down the side of their house in College Road, Great Barr.

With eyes only for each other, they married five years later in 1950 and went on to have two daughters, Alison and Marilyn.

Both ladies have now signed up to take part in Alzheimer’s Society’s Memory Walk at Sutton Park, on Saturday 15 September, and will be joined by wider family members including Alison’s daughter Emma Archer, to remember their parents and grandparents who died end of 2017 with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Emma, 28, of Walsall, said: “Nan and Grandad did everything together and really couldn’t bear too much time apart.

“They were an inspiration for the way they lived their lives and just kept going, grandad was still driving and playing golf at the age of 91.”

The family describes how Rene broke her hip and lost all confidence to go out which in turn worried Arthur, who would stay in with her. Their health and wellbeing deteriorated in stages with noticeable changes.

There are more than 4,000 people already signed up but there’s still time for others to register until 5pm tomorrow (Thursday 13 September).