A PENKETH couple were celebrating 50 years of marriage last weekend with four other golden wedding anniversary husband and wife teams.

Jack and Joyce Ost, of Warrington Road, were joined in their celebrations by daughter Debbie, son Graham, five grandchildren and their friends of which four couples had also hit the golden milestone in the past two years.

Joyce, aged 72, has been friends with one couple since they were at school together and known the other two most of her life.

Joyce said: “It’s nice to celebrate with so many friends who have been married as long as Jack and I have.

“I think the secret is to get on with it and don’t grow apart after the first row. We’re not the rowing kind and I think it helps that we like the same things.”

Jack proposed to Joyce outside the back door of her home after seeing her at a dance in Liverpool.

Joyce recognised Jack straight away because she had been going out with his brother before him.

She added: “The proposal wasn’t down on one knee or anything romantic, he just turned around and said ‘Why don’t we get married’?”

The couple celebrated at their son’s house on Saturday.