AN ANNIVERSARY couple who enjoyed tandem riding together in their younger years have proved they are still in sync after 65-years of marriage.

Ron and Alice Willis, originally of Horden Colliery near Peterlee, married at St Mary’s Church in Horden 65-years-ago after first meeting at a local youth club.

They celebrated their landmark wedding anniversary at the weekend with their loved ones and Mr Willis said that after more than six decades together, the couple still enjoy each other’s company.

He said: “We are just happy; we enjoy our family, we enjoy our friends, and initially we used to youth hostel a lot and ride tandem together.

“We have done various things in our time, but the most important thing for both of us is our family.”

Mr Willis, 88, spent his early career in Durham Constabulary as a police constable based at Darlington.

He was the beat bobby for Cockerton village in 1948 before being transferred to CID based at Houghton-le-Spring in 1954.

Two years later he was seconded to Cyprus before returning to Darlington in 1958 where he later joined the fraud squad.

Mr Willis left the police force in 1972 to become provincial manager of a banking fraud department for the remainder of his career.

He said that after spending working weeks of up to 70 hours during his time with the police and fraud department, he was enjoying his retirement years with Alice, now 86, who used to work as a secretary for Firthmoor School in Darlington.

He joked: “It’s been 65 years – I keep telling her that if I had done a murder I would be out by now.”

The couple, who live in Hurworth near Darlington, have two daughters, four grandchildren and six great grandchildren.