A YORK couple who met at the Yorkshire Evening Press in the 1940s have marked their diamond wedding anniversary.

Ian, 86, and Joyce Cottam, 83, of New Earswick, met on the newspaper's former Coney Street site where he was working as a proof reader and Mrs Cottam as manager of the tobacconists.

The couple began dating and went on to marry at St Barnabas Church in York in 1954.

Yesterday they received a card from the Queen and they celebrated their landmark anniversary with a visit to Bettys at Harlow Carr with friends.

Mr Cottam said about when they first met: "In newspaper world there were a lot of guys who went for their cigarettes. We used to chat and got more friendly and decided to get married.

"We have been together ever since and are very seldom apart."

Mr Cottam, had returned to his role at the Yorkshire Evening Press in 1947 after spending two years serving with the RAF in India. He worked for the newspaper for 44 years.

Mrs Cottam, who was originally from Crayke, later went on to work selling cosmetics in the Timothy White chemists in York.

They have both travelled the world extensively, visiting far flung destinations including Canada, the US, Australia and Russia.

Lifelong New Earswick resident Mr Cottam was parish councillor for the village for 35 years.

He said: "I would recommend marriage and togetherness. Joyce has been supportive in everything. The closeness gets more intense. As we don't travel as much you become closer still in looking after one another."

Mrs Cottam said about the key to a happy marriage: "It can be too easy now for people who don't agree to walk away but we were brought up to think marriage is forever.

"Ian means everything to me, we have been together so long."