Congratulations to a diamond couple who are '˜keeping happy'

Colleen, 81, and Norman Clayton, 86, celebrated 60 years of marriage with a gathering of more than 50 friends and family.

Colleen said: “You know what you’re like when you’re young. Me and my friend were going to the pictures this night and we saw Norman and his friend.

“My friend said to me ‘You know those two over there? I know one of them.’

“It was Norman’s friend she knew, so we went over and spoke to them and then we went to the pictures and from then on the rest is history.”

The couple met shortly before Christmas in 1957 and became engaged on March 1 the following year.

They married at St Boltoph’s Church, Knottingley, in 1958 after eight months of courtship. Colleen worked at Bagley’s Glassworks, while her new husband worked at Pollington Pipeworks.

They have one son, Gary, who was born in 1971.

Colleen said: “The most important thing is that life turns out fine and that you’re happy.”

To celebrate their anniversary, the Claytons invited friends and family to the Kellington Manor Hotel.

Colleen’s niece, Mandy, transformed the hotel’s marquee into a tribute to the couple, with personalised gift bags and even a recreation of the couple’s original 1958 wedding cake.

Colleen’s sister, Christine Malcolm, said: “It was wonderful, absolutely wonderful. They came through the conservatory and we played the wedding march.

“If you look at the original wedding photo, everyone was there. Bridesmaids and the best man and ushers, everyone but one person was at the party.”