Diamond anniversary couple's gift to Hartlepool hospice.

Bert and Lillian Hughes held a party at the local Catholic Club and asked for donations in lieu of presents. Their guests raised £350.

Bert, 82, and Lillian, 80, met in 1955 at the Rink and married a year later. They have two daughters, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

When Bert celebrated his 80th birthday, he collected £400 for the Hospice.

The couple said: “We are proud to support such a fantastic local charity. We already have everything that we need so we thought it would be good to ask for donations to the Hospice.”

Janice Forbes, Community Fundraiser at the Hospice, said: “I would like to thank them for their very kind gesture and I would like to congratulate them on their 60th wedding anniversary.”