Childhood friends celebrate 60 years of marriage

Family and friends joined the couple at a small gathering at St Peters Care Home, in Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, to toast their special milestone.

In the evening, the party enjoyed a meal at the Nags Head pub at Harby and donations totalling £105 were made for the Alzheimer’s Research UK charity.

Keith (84) was involved in forestry and set up his own business in April 1959 which is still going strong today.

Hazel, who is 82, worked at Boots as a secretary until starting a family and after that she worked as a dressmaker and also at Sherwood Farms, in Hickling, as well as helping with the family business.

Keith’s mother, Margaret, was village correspondent for the Melton Times for many years before she was unable to continue and Hazel then took over the role.

The couple have a son, Patrick, daughter, Fiona, and daughter-in-law, Claire.

Patrick said: “They have known each other most of their lives, having grown up in the same village, and spent their entire lives there apart from a few years during the war.

“Having started off as a friendship, aged 11 and nine, romance blossomed in later years and we are delighted to be celebrating their diamond wedding with them.”