Elvis spreads the love at the Gardens (+video)

Elvis Presley entered the building at a local rest home yesterday to spread a little love amongst the residents.

June Hamilton, activities co-ordinator at The Gardens Rest Home, organised the show just in time for Valentine's Day.

"We always celebrate Valentine's every year and I'm a bit sick of the red hearts and wanted to do something different, so this came about.

"Everyone is very excited, even the staff are quite excited. I first thought renewing vows, but some of them had done that before so I thought about Vegas style weddings and how it would be fun to get an Elvis Presley impersonator along."

She said about 14 couples were going to get up at the alter and be re-married by Elvis, but they all got stage fright and opted to just enjoy the concert instead.

Ray Tombs played Elvis and sang to the residents. Photo/Ben Fraser

Ray Tombs played Elvis and sang to the residents, or rather, with them - as they all knew the words.

Colin and Irene Loader have been married for 52 years.

Mrs Loader said they met at work but it wasn't until her husband-to-be left that she made the first move.

"I wrote him a letter to see how he was getting on and it all stemmed from there," she said.

They both said patience, understanding and talking things through were keys to a long lasting marriage.

"Talking is the main thing," Mr Loader said.

They said they had had their ups and downs but they just had to carry on.

"You stay and work it out, you can't give up easily... we are still very much in love," Mrs Loader said.

Jack and Noreen Richardson, who have been married since March 1944 - almost 72 years - were another one of the couples enjoying the music.

"We met in a dance hall, I was sitting down on a seat with another couple of girls and he came over and accidently dropped a cigarette on my dress and burned a hole in it. He told me he would buy me a new one," Mrs Richardson said.