TWO couples from York who are old friends and got married on the same day are both celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary.

Marjorie and Peter Kettlewell, of Almsford Road, Acomb, tied the knot 60 years ago today, as did their friends Heather and Les Gallagher. Both couples also got married at exactly the same time, at 2pm.

All of them, except Les, worked together at the Marks & Spencer store in Pavement, York, in the 1950s, which is when they first met. They have been friends ever since.

Marjorie, 80, who worked in the preparation room at the M&S store, and Peter, 85, who worked in the warehouse, got married at Holy Trinity Church in Micklegate.

They have two children, and two granddaughters.

Speaking about their friendship with Les and Heather, Marjorie said: “We have stayed in touch. They are good friends of ours.

“I don’t think we knew at the time that they were going to be married on the same day.

“We didn’t discuss our marriage plans. It was a coincidence.”

Marjorie was born and raised in York, but Peter was born in Kirk Hammerton.

The pair are celebrating their milestone anniversary with their family at the Nags Head pub in Askham Bryan. The secret to a long and happy marriage is “to give and take,” Marjorie said.

Les, 80, worked as a plumber when he first met Heather, 80, at a dance in York a few years before they got married at St Philip and St James Church in Clifton.

The couple, who live in Trent Avenue, Huntington, have four children, four grandchildren and one great grand child. To celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary, they spent the weekend with their children near Loughborough.

“We had a lovely weekend together,” Heather said.

Heather says she and Les have a “very good” marriage.

She added: “We get on very well.

“We enjoy going round the countryside and to the seaside.”