The Mayor of Great Aycliffe, Councillor Mrs Mary Dalton visited Walt and Margaret Young on their Diamond Wedding anniversary last week.

Walt met Margaret purely by chance on a stormy night in Seaton Carew when his RAF liberty bus broke down. He and his colleagues took shelter in the amusement arcade where he played on the pinball machine while his friends were talking to a group of ladies.

He overheard one of them say, “No! He’s taking me home”, this lady was Margaret. Walt didn’t have a lot of cash on him and spoke to the taxi driver outside who offered to take whatever cash he had (6 shillings and sixpence) to take them home, only for Margaret to peck him on the cheek and take the taxi home without him!

They were destined to meet again a short while later at the local chemist where Margaret worked and that was it. Sixty years later, they enjoyed a wonderful day with four generations of their family and many friends to celebrate.