A COUPLE celebrated 50 years of wedded bliss surrounded by family and friends at the weekend.

Ernie and Sally Prest held a small party in their home at Rookery Gardens, Rushyford, County Durham, to celebrate their golden wedding.

The pair met when they both worked at Smart and Brown's factory, Spennymoor, in the 1950s.

Mr Prest, 75, said: "I was an engineer when Sally came to work there. She walked past me and I kept asking her out and she kept saying no."

His determination paid off and they married at St Luke's Church, Ferryhill, on August 6, 1955.

They settled in Ferryhill and Mr Prest went on to start up his own business ESP Plastic Fabrication and EW Prest Recycling. ESP was sold ten years ago.

The couple, who moved to their Rushyford home 20 years ago, have a daughter Caran and grandaughter Lara, six, and have enjoyed travelling the world, including Russia, South Africa, and the US.