Elderly Cleveleys friends join forces at the gym to combat loneliness and mobility issues

Joyce Stubbs, Gary Stubbs and Barbara Terry prove you are never too old to keep fit and enjoy life.

Barbara Terry, 74, met her new friends Joyce and Gary Stubbs, 84 and 85 respectively, after painful personal circumstances forced her to start life again.

She was recommended as a cleaner to Mrs Stubbs by her daughter, and since then the pair have struck up an unbreakable friendship, which saw Barbara move into the flat above the married couple's home on Ellerbeck Road, Cleveleys.

Now, despite a combined age of 243, the three firm friends spend at least 3 days a week at JD Gym on North Promenade.

Joyce said attending the gym has allowed her to make new friends and walk freely with minimal assistance after years in a wheelchair.

They claim working out has helped their mental and physical health improve dramatically, and the gym is a "good place to make new friends, despite their ages."

Barbara said: "I've been through some awful things in the last few years, and I've really struggled with depression but keeping fit has helped me tremendously with that.

"It keeps my mind off things, and I'm so grateful to have met Joyce and Gary- we love going to the gym together a few times a week.

"I can't speak highly enough of it, it's the best place to go to have a good laugh, even if we are a bit older than everyone else!"

Joyce, who was reliant on a wheelchair and a walking stick when she signed up to JD gym a few months ago, said she wants to encourage other elderly people to get involved- because now she can walk without any assistance.

The gym is the best place to go to make friends, and nobody should be sat at home alone, she said.

"I can feel myself getting stronger by the day and I believe that is all down to going to the gym.

"I've had two knee and two spine operations, and before going to JD I couldn't walk- the severe pain I was in caused me to have a nervous breakdown.

"I've overcome all of that now thanks to the exercise, and I would encourage everyone to give it a go."

Mrs Stubbs said attending JD Gym has helped with her blood pressure, and finally got her onto her feet after four years of sitting in a wheelchair for most of the day.