THE family of a missing couple has spoken of its relief after the pair were found safe and well.

Millie Marshall and her husband John had been missing since Sunday evening before they were found last night in Cheshire.

Jan Mayer, 60, was the last person to have seen the elderly couple - who are both in their late 70s - at her home in south Liverpool on Sunday afternoon. Mrs Mayer is Mrs Marshall’s niece.

Mrs Mayer says the pair’s visit came ‘out of the blue’.

“They had been on their way to Kendal to get a rescue dog, as theirs died not long ago,” she explained.

“They obviously got lost and ended up here out of confusion or panic.”

Mrs Mayer said the two stayed for a ‘sit down and a cup of coffee’ before leaving at around 3:45pm.

Concerned, she rang her aunt the following day to check that she and her husband had returned safely. Mrs Mayer says she then rang other relatives - none of whom had heard anything from the pair.

Mrs Marshall is understood to be on a considerable amount of medication after having suffered two brain embolisms a number of years ago, and her family says she is prone to unpredictable behaviour.

Mrs Marshall is originally from Liverpool and Mr Marshall is from Middlesex. The couple moved to Ulverston in the 1970s.

They were filed as missing persons on Monday and a search operation had been under way since then.

The couple’s car was tracked yesterday morning in the Widnes and Warrington area, before the pair were found in the early evening.

“It’s a huge weight off our shoulders to know they’ve been found safely,” Mrs Mayer said.

“Although we know they’ve both had their health problems for a while now, this is the first time something like this has ever happened.

“The news comes as a huge relief. I just hope there’s no repeat.

“Millie has a daughter in Australia, who’s also extremely relieved to know she’s okay.

“We’re all just waiting for them to get home safely now.”