A COUPLE celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary say love, trust and a liking for cycling has kept them together over the years.

Charles (Chuck) and Terri Tomlinson, both 80, of Oak Tree Close, Middleton St George, met in Middlesbrough in 1938.

They married three years later, on October 25 1941, at St Patrick's Church, Middlesbrough, when Mr Tomlinson was on leave from the Merchant Navy for just three days.

Mrs Tomlinson (nee Grafton) said: "I got a telegram on the Wednesday to say he would be home and I had to arrange it all for the Saturday. I even had to go to work on the day of my wedding at 5am because my boss would not let me have the day off."

Mr Tomlinson, a process worker at ICI for 25 years, said: "I don't think people realise how many soldiers and their wives lost their honeymoon years. But we got over that and love, trust, companionship and being good partners has kept us together."

Mrs Tomlinson said: "We both have an interest in cycling, which brought us together in the first place. We have never had a dull moment. We have had a good marriage and we are both still very happy."

The couple, who moved to Middleton-St-George in 1975, have three children, Sheila, Christine and Stephen; six grandchildren, Charles, 29, Giles, 26, Emma, 25, Adam, 22, Eve, 21 and James, 17; and a great grandchild, Rachel, 11 months.

They celebrated yesterday with a family lunch and a surprise visit from the Mayor of Darlington, Isobel Hartley. A family party on Tyneside is planned for the weekend