THERE was much to celebrate in a North-East nursing home this week when two couples marked a total of 125 years of marriage.

And to put the icing on the cake, one of the 1940s brides had been bridesmaid to the other.

The first couple to marry, 65 years ago, were Herbie and Clarissa Brownless, who have a daughter.

They celebrated their wedding milestone on Wednesday at The Beeches Nursing Home, in Kelloe, near Durham City,.where they are both residents.

On Thursday, it was the turn of William and Margaret Gething to mark their diamond wedding at the home, where Margaret is also a resident.

What made both celebrations so special was that Margaret had been bridesmaid for Clarissa, 82, and Herbie's wedding, in Coxhoe, in 1941.

Five years later, the Gethings tied the knot at St Mary's Church, also in Coxhoe.

Both Herbie, 88, and William, 87, are former miners and along with Clarissa and Margaret, 83, are from Coxhoe.

Herbie served in the Home Guard during the Second World War, while William served with the Royal Artillery.

In recent years, William has become well known in the area for the prolific number of poems he has had published in The Northern Echo.

He and Margaret have two daughters, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

A spokeswoman at The Beeches said yesterday: "It has been an exciting week and it was an added bonus to find out that Margaret had been bridesmaid for Clarissa all those years ago.''