A GOLDEN anniversary couple who left Warrington just two months after their wedding to start a new life in Canada have said their happiness is down to being best friends forever.

John and Christine Hitchmough will celebrate 50 years together on October 25 but have spent the last month in their hometown visiting relatives and friends.

John, 75, is originally from Grappenhall and met Christine, who is originally from Stockton Heath, through their parents.

He said: “My mother was a corseteer and she had a client who was Christine’s mother. So I phoned her up and we met on London Bridge in Stockton Heath. It was like love at first sight.”

The pair went for a drink together at the Bears Paw pub and later married at All Saint’s Church in Daresbury.

Christine was working as a teacher at Saint Werburgh's Primary School and John worked at a paper company in Macclesfield before the pair waved goodbye to their hometown in search of a new life.

“We got married in October and then left for Canada on December 30 to see what it was like for a year,” said John.

“There were more British people emigrating then, I think it was to do with the strikes, so we decided to go and have a look ourselves.”

The couple loved Canada and lived in Quebec, Montreal, Edmonton before settling in Ontario where they now live near their two children and three grandchildren.

John said the two countries have become similar over the years and he can now find his favourite British food and TV shows.

He said: “I can even get Eccles cakes there now.

“Of course the weather’s quite different – summer is very hot in Canada. What we miss most though is our relatives and family.

“Things are changing at a tremendous rate in Warrington. There’s a lot going on with the new markets. The sad thing is Bridge Street which looks run down and there are lots of developments.”

Although John and Christine regularly visit Warrington to see family, the couple will celebrate their anniversary in Canada with their children and John had one piece of advice for young couples: “The secret to a happy marriage is to be best friends – we’re BFFs as my wife says!”