A COUPLE have been celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary with a big family get-together.

John and Wendy Cornes met on a blind date in May 1953, when Wendy had just left school, and the pair were engaged within three years.

The pair were married on August 29, 1959, at St George’s Church in Barbourne.

Mrs Cornes, 81, said: “I tell everyone our wedding cake cost £5.

“We were married at noon at the church and by 4pm we were on a train going off on our honeymoon to Brighton.”

Three years later the couple started a family having their first child, Duncan, and in 1964 had their second, Michelle.

The couple have gone on to have seven grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.

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Mrs Cornes said both she and her husband grew up in Worcester, before the pair moved into their first home in Dines Green after the birth of Duncan.

Over the years the pair have lived in the city at various places, before moving to their current home in Honeywood Road, St John’s, where they have been for nearly 20 years.

Before retirement Mr Cornes, now 83, was a roof tiler before being called up for National Service and serving in the Worcestershire Regiment in 1957. After returning to the city he went on to be a self employed builder.

Meanwhile Mrs Cornes worked in the kitchens at Dines Green School, washing up and serving children their dinners - a job she did for 29 years. After that Mrs Cornes became a cleaner.

Mrs Cornes said for previous milestone anniversaries they celebrated their 40th in Las Vegas, and 50th in San Francisco.

For the diamond anniversary the family arranged for them to have a special card from The Queen, and on Saturday night the pair enjoyed a meal with 28 friends and family at the Holt Fleet.

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Mrs Cornes added that the key to them staying together all these years was doing activities together, such as socialising and enjoying lots of holidays.

“We have a caravan, and enjoy weekends away,” she added.

“We always say we like just enjoying life, and people say we don’t look our ages.”