A FORMER Aycliffe Angel and her ex-Coldstream Guard husband are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary.

John and Bessie Davison's wartime wedding took place at St Stephen's Church, Willington, on May 23, 1942.

Throughout the war years Mr Davison, now 82, served in Africa and Italy, as well as helping to guard Buckingham Palace during the London Blitz.

His future wife, now 79, worked in the munitions factory in Newton Aycliffe.

Mr Davison said: "I was in the forces and I came home on leave and said what about getting married? And that was it. We've been together ever since.''

The couple, who now live in George Terrace, Willington, have spent all their married in the village.

Mr Davison left the Coldstream Guards to go back down the mines, but after a couple of years he became caretaker at the Brancepeth Miners Welfare, before it closed to become part of the Spectrum Leisure Centre.

Mrs Davison chose to stay at home and bring up the couple's two daughters, Marilyn and Olwyn.

They will be joined on Saturday by their daughters, three grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren for a quiet celebration of their anniversary.

Mrs Davison said: "We are like every other couple. We have our ups and downs, but mainly we have been very happy together.''