Roy and Shirley Hemmingway (née Hope) met at a local dance at The Elite in Crook when Shirley asked Roy to hold her shoes while she danced the last dance with her cousin.
Shirley from Stanley and Roy from Tow Law were married on 27th June 1953 and moved to Newton Aycliffe in 1972. The couple have five children, ten grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren.
Roy and Shirley held a family party on Sunday 25th June at their home.
Tips for the long relationship include much love, lots of laughter and being surrounded by family. As they call all their daughter and son-in-laws their daughters and sons, they prefer not to use ‘in laws’.