Two best friends - who were reunited after 73 years apart at their care home - held hands as they sat waiting to be vaccinated in Wigan.
Marion Darbyshire, 91, and her closest friend Winnie Shaw were the first in line for the vaccine at Lakeside Care Home, which was the first in Wigan to administer the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.
Hand-delivered letters were given to residents to say they would be receiving the vaccine last Thursday and, once the jabs were complete, the home celebrated with a glass of bubbly and a sing-song.
Marion said: “I didn’t feel a thing, it is very important that you have it.”
Home Manager Gail Howard expressed her delight that residents were able to get the vaccine.
Gail said: “This is such an exciting day for us at Lakeside and we could not be happier. We have been singing and dancing to celebrate.
"This past year has been like no other. Our team has worked so very hard to keep our residents as safe as possible.
"We have had to think outside of the box at times for activities. We have been out in our minibus to safari parks and drive-in cinemas, but we haven't been able to get off that bus.
"We are now one step closer to being able to get back to normality."
Gail added: “We know how hard it has been for relatives and friends who have only been able to see their loved ones in our visitation lodge and denied the ability to hug them during these difficult times,
"This vaccine is hopefully the beginning of the end for us, it's the light at the end of the tunnel."
Residents at the home will be receiving their second dose of the vaccine within the next four to 12 weeks.
