Doug and Beatrice Wetherell were married at St Paul's Church, in Trimdon Colliery, on September 6, 1958. The sweethearts met in 1955 when Beatrice, then called Langlands, was 19 and Doug was 17, at a local dance in Thornley.

Doug lived in Thornley and Beatrice lived in Trimdon Colliery, before the couple eventually set up home in Horden in 1973.

Beatrice went to Deaf Hill School and worked at Paton and Baldwin's wool factory, in Darlington, before leaving to get married and Doug was a miner at the Thornley and Horden pits.

Beatrice said: "We went to the pictures for our first date. I can't remember what film we saw. We courted for about two years before we got married."

The couple have three children, Susan Wetherell, 49, Doug Wetherell, 47, and Graeme Wetherell, 43.

They also have eight grandchildren, Stephen, Kelly, Emma and Leanne Ord and Lauren, Lynsey, Liam and Jack Wetherell.

Their great-grandchildren are Christopher, Regan and Ronni Parkin.
Beatrice said the secret to a long and happy marriage was "give and take".

The couple will celebrate with a family meal at the Half Moon pub, in Easington, and will later jet off for a holiday in Majorca.