Till death do us apart. A loving British couple married for over 70 years died within four minutes of each other. Wilf Russell, 93, died at a care home after battling dementia, which sadly resulted in him no longer recognising his wife. Wilf's wife Vera, 91, passed away at a nearby hospital having become ill since her husband stopped remembering her.

Frail Wilf took his final breath at Magna Care Home in Wigston, Leicestershire, at 6:50 am last Wednesday. And without knowing that her beloved husband had died, Vera was pronounced dead four minutes later at Leicester Royal Infirmiry.

Their granddaughter Stephanie Welch told Leicester Mercury, "My grandad was diagnosed with dementia a year ago and he had to go into the care home a couple of months back. My nan went to see him recently and he didn't recognise her at all -- her health started deteriorating from that day."

"I went to visit her at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Sunday and she opened her eyes and asked me where Wilf was. The last thing she said to me was, 'We're a right pair, aren't we?'" Welch said.

"He died at 6:50 am and she died at 6:54 am without being told about Wilf. I think she was waiting for him to go. She was broken-hearted," she said.