How a 'holiday romance' has lasted over 60 years for a Mansfield couple celebrating their diamond anniversary

Ann, 80, and John, 85, got married on September 3, 1960 in Ashby near Scunthorpe, and have lived together in Mansfield Woodhouse ever since.

John was an electrical engineer and Ann was working in her brother’s jewellery shop when they met at Butlins in Filey a couple of years before they became married, but it was Ann’s dad that initiatied the whole thing.

Ann said: "We met on holiday at Butlins in Filey two or three years before we got married, on the tennis court of all places.

"It was all due to my dad really, he was a policeman, and we strolled up to the tennis court and he asked John, ‘do you mind if my daughter and I join you for a game of tennis?’ because he was playing singles with another young man, so he had no option.

"So we arranged to meet again before breakfast, and that was it; my dad was a typical policeman.”

“The father-in-law came and put his nose in it, you see,” John added.

The couple are going out for a meal next weekend at the country club in Kirkby to celebrate, with the whole family, including their two daughters, Jayne and Liz, and four grandchildren, as well as partners, joining in to raise a toast to a “happy” 60 years of marriage.

Jayne wanted to champion her parents’ successful marriage and said: “Not many couples get to celebrate so many years together!”

Upon asking what the secret to their many happy years together was, John said it was simply having “lots of love”.

Ann, who is originally from a village near Doncaster, added: “We have had a happy marriage, to say it was a holiday romance!

"He had 50 miles to travel to see me, so it must have been love.”