A COUPLE are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary after meeting at Whiston Hospital.

Ron and Marlene Vinyard, from Great Sankey met while working at the Merseyside hospital; Marlene as a nurse and Ron as a porter.

Marlene was just 19 when she and Ron, 22, married at St Paul's Church in Widnes.

They moved from Widnes to Great Sankey in 1987 and have lived there ever since.

Ron, now 82 and Marlene, 79 have four children, five grandchildren and one great grandchild.

The pair received an anniversary card from the Queen to mark the milestone on Thursday, November 22 and the family hosted a special afternoon tea to celebrate their 60 years of marriage.

Ron used to run an electrical stall called Ronslec in St Helens before moving it to Warrington Market in 1975.

He ran the stall until he retired in 2005.

Marlene enjoys playing golf and has played at Mersey Valley Golf Club and Antrobus Golf Club in Northwich.

When asked how they managed to reach their diamond anniversary, Marlene said: "Ron does as he is told!"