A YORK couple who met while on a youth club trip are today celebrating 50 years of marriage.

Pat, 70, and Tony Cox, 71, of Holgate, were born in and grew up in the same area of York but did not meet until they were in their late teens.

Both lived in the Leeman Road area as young children – until Tony’s house was destroyed in a bombing raid – and both attended Poppleton Road School but they did not meet each other until their youth clubs Lidgett Grove and Holgate Road went on a bus trip to Richmond.

They married at St Stephen’s Church in Acomb and went on to have two children Nigel, 48, and Sharon, 41.

Nigel said: “As a family unit they are very close. It means a lot to them to celebrate this anniversary and we all want to say congratulations.”

Mr Cox worked at British Rail where he started as an office clerk and became a manager, and Mrs Cox worked at Ben Johnson and General Accident. Recently they have been enjoying their retirement by going on cruises around the world.

Mr and Mrs Cox have eight grandchildren, Sean, Dean, Jolene, Jason, Adam, Ella, Emily and Oliver.

They will celebrate this weekend with family and friends at the Railway Institute, where they are members of the bowling club.