TWIN sisters who share a unique and fascinating bond have celebrated their 90th birthday.

As girls growing up in Macclesfield Margaret Wilson and Elsie Bithell were inseparable.

Twin sisters Elsie Bithell and Margaret Wilson

Although they saw less of each other while raising their own families, the pair always spent their birthday together.

Now after watching their children grow up and losing their husbands, Margaret and Elsie are thick as thieves once again.

Margaret, from Macclesfield, said: “We have always been very close. As children we spent every minute with each other. Then as we got older our own lives and family life took over, so we saw less of each other. We still made sure we spent our birthday together though, that was always special.”

Elsie said: “Now it’s like old times and we see each other a lot. We chat about the past and share stories.”

The girls were born at High Street, Macclesfield, to parents Thomas and Lilian Peers, and older sister Nora.

Margaret Wilson and Elsie Bithell

The family moved to Brook Street and the girls attended St Alban’s School, spending their childhood playing at West Park.

Elsie Bithell and Margaret Wilson

Although the sisters were not identical, their mum would make them wear exactly the same homemade dresses.

Elsie, from Sutton Lane Ends, said: “We liked dressing the same as it got us a lot of attention from people, especially from the boys. Once we were 15 or so, and we were earning our own money, we did our own thing.

“We were always different characters. I loved playing the piano, while Margaret couldn’t get on with it, and she loved dancing, which I didn’t like.”

The girls left school as the Second World War started and worked in retail. During the war the girls would do shifts fire watching at the town hall and working in a restaurant at the former Frost Mill.

Twin sisters Margaret Wilson and Elsie Bithell

Margaret later met and married Graham Wilson, with Elsie as her bridesmaid, and went on to have seven children.

Elsie, trained as a piano teacher, and worked as a secretary working at the local council and gas board before marrying Arthur Bithell and raising a son.

Twin sisters (back) Elsie Bithell and Margaret Wilson (front)

Margaret and Elsie have experienced the unusual phenomenon of twin telepathy.

Elsie said: “There is a unique bond between us. I often know when she is not well without speaking to her. Only the other night be both couldn’t sleep because we were thinking about the other one. It’s spooky but quite nice to have that link with someone.”

The ladies celebrated their birthday on April 23 with a family party.