SIXTY years ago, Hilda and Wilf Davies were married at St John's Church in Meadowfield, near East Durham.

They had booked a photographer, but as the wedding party waited at the church door, he disappointingly failed to turn up.

But, six decades on, the couple, who have lived in the same house in Meadowfield for nearly 50 years, recalled how, eventually, all was not lost on their big day.

"We were really disappointed when no photographer appeared and so we all went back to my man's house where we were holding the reception.'' Hilda recalled yesterday.

While the small family party was tucking into the best wartime food they could muster at the time, the photographer arrived and took some pictures in the back garden.

"Unfortunately, we have none at the church, but we still have photographs of that happy day,'' said Hilda who, as a bride, wore a stylish dusky pink dress with brown accessories

Celebrating their diamond milestone, Wilf explained how he had met his bride-to-be.

"It was at the Langley Moor Empire cinema, and I bought her a quarter of sweets with my ration coupons,'' said Wilf.

Three years later, they were married and so began a union which was to hold strong for 60 years.

Of the success of their long marriage, Wilf said: "We have always worked together through thick and thin.''

And there have been bleak times for the couple who have four children, Sandra, Alison, Trevor and Alan, but who lost another son, Malcolm, at the age of ten, to the devastating polio epidemic in the 1950s.

But it was all smiles, yesterday, as the couple looked proudly at their card from the Queen and anticipated their celebration party on Saturday at their son Trevor's, where they will be joined by their five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

"It will be lovely, because the family means everything to us,'' said Wilf.