TWIN SISTERS Elsie Hodges and Nora Senior took their first steps together as toddlers and have been side by side ever since.

The identical twins have followed in each other's footsteps throughout their long lives hardly spending time apart for 90 years.

They are best friends and there has never been a harsh word spoken between them.

And as they now enter their tenth decade their bond of devotion and sisterly love is as strong as ever.

The sisters, born in 1912, were inseparable at school and have gone on to mirror each others lives, marrying within the space of a year, becoming mothers at the same time, and sharing the same interests and hobbies.

Up until now they have lived discreet and private lives but all that changed last week when they celebrated their remarkable age.

The sisters discovered they could have set a record as the oldest surviving identical twins in the world and were besieged with well-wishers.

They were joined by five generations of family at a special party held at Southfield Manor, Styal, which has been Elsie's home for the past three years.

Between them the sisters have ten grandchildren and one of their great grand children was present at their special celebration. They learned they could have achieved the record for the longest surviving identical twins on the planet.

Researchers from the Guinness Book of Records confirmed there were no recorded identical twins sisters in the world who are older than 90.

It came as a bolt from the blue to Nora, who lives in Cheadle, but she was delighted at their newfound notoriety.

"It's lovely being a twin," she said. "We have always been very good friends and done things together. We always looked after each other.

Elsie's son, Jack Hodges, 66, added: "They are so much alike. They are both chatterboxes," he said.

He recalled that his mum, sadly now suffering from dementia, and aunt loved to play cards and were spirited competitors at bridge and twist.

Throughout their lives they met up at least once a week, he added.

Elsie's daughter, Denise Byrne, 58, said: "They were the last two of 14 children and always stuck together.

"I cannot remember them ever falling out. There were very few differences between them although Aunt Nora was a bit more adventurous."

The oldest twin sisters in world history were Kin Narita and Gin Kanie, whose names mean gold and silver, who reached 107 in 2000 at their home in Nagoya, Japan.