A ROUND of charity golf proved the perfect match for a golden wedding celebration.

Mike and Joan, of Littledale, Pickering are regular players in the Ryedale Lions annual golf tournament at Kirkbymoorside Golf Club where Joan is Ladies Captain.

At this year's event Mike had a special surprise for his wife by sponsoring the first tee with a message to say a very public thank you for “50 years of wonderful happy marriage”.

Joan, aged 71, said: “When we went out and one of my team pointed out the anniversary message to me on the first tee I thought it was a lovely surprise.

"After reading it I had to tell my team mates that I might not be quite at my best for the first few shots."

Mike, aged 78, is a retired sales manager at Micro Metalsmiths, said: “We both took up golf as a way of doing something enjoyable together after the children grew up and left home. We both love playing."

This year’s event raised a record £3,500 for the Lions charity fund to help local good causes.

Joan’s ladies team, the Globe Trotters, finished one point ahead of Mike’s team, the Olympians. However Mike managed to round off the special day by winning the prize for straightest drive.

Other winners were: Sarah Hayman from Ampleforth who won the prize for nearest pin. Men’s Team winners were Enterprise Motors (Pickering); second Hard Hatters (Kirkbymoorside); third the team of ex-Cleveland police officers Retired and Loving It, with the Ryeburn team from Helmsley in fourth place. Ladies’ Team winners were the Essentials from Kirkbymoorside.

Around 40 Ryedale businesses sponsored the competition.

Ryedale Lions organiser Gordon Smith, said: “Their generosity helped us to make this a record-breaking day for our charity fund and we are very grateful to each and every one of them as well as all the players who paid and played, plus Kirkbymoorside Golf Club for hosting the event and providing facilities."