A COUPLE celebrated their diamond wedding in style - with a new kitchen - thanks to their landlords.

Joan and Kenneth Cooper, from Redcar, realised their bungalow was due to have a kitchen fitted in the middle of their 60th wedding anniversary celebrations.

Mrs Cooper said: "I had visions of workmen tramping everywhere. I really didn't want the place to be a mess, so I decided to write to landlords Coast and Country Housing asking for the work date to be brought forward."

So Coast and Country, which manages the housing register for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, made sure the kitchen was fitted and flooring, tiling and plumbing installed in time for the celebrations.

Mrs Cooper said: "We are absolutely over the moon. The workmen couldn't have been more helpful, and everything has been done so quickly."

The couple met in Devon in 1943 while Mr Cooper was in the Army and Mrs Cooper was on holiday.

Mrs Cooper said: "I was out mushroom picking with my friend early one morning and a group of soldiers marched past.

"They shouted out for us to meet them that night and when we turned up there were about four young men waiting. I picked the one who looked the nicest and he turned out to be Ken. We've been together ever since."

Despite only being able to meet up twice because D-Day forced the cancellation of all leave, the couple were married in Mrs Cooper's home town of Coventry on April 29 the following year.

They have a son and daughter, three granddaughters, a grandson, a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter.