Diamond day's hot celebrations

Bill and Wyn Mead, from Upwood Park, Oxenhope, toasted 60 years of happy marriage yesterday.

The couple, who say popping out for a curry is one of their favourite pastimes, first met each other when Wyn was a pupil at Bowling Grammar School and Bill was working as a chef at the Midland Hotel, in Bradford.

Wyn says: "We met each other before the war began and he used to meet me outside the school gates and carry my satchel."

They were married at St Joseph's Church, in Bradford, and spent a honeymoon weekend in Blackpool before Bill returned to the army.

"It was during the war and there were a lot of people getting married at the same time, so we had to wait in the door way while another couple finished their service." adds Wyn.

Bill, 84, who originally comes from West Bowling, served in the Tank Corps and was then transferred to the Catering Corps.

After the war he continued his catering career and worked until the age of 74 for numerous establishments, including The Victoria Hotel, in Keighley, The Five Flags Hotel, in Cullingworth, and The Three Sisters Hotel, in Haworth.

Wyn, 79, from East Bowling, worked as a comptometer operator for Allied Industrial Services, at Lidget Green, and was made redundant when the piece of equipment was updated with computer technology.

She then went to work as a nurse at St Luke's Hospital, Bradford, and finally ended her working life at the age of 70 as an optician's receptionist.

The couple lived for most of their married life in the Greengates area before moving to Upwood Park 12 years ago. They have one daughter Patricia, 55, three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Patricia is organising a family party for the couple, which will be attended by Wyn's brother Allan, 75, who is flying over from Ontario, Canada, and Roy, 77, who lives in Leeds.

As well as trips out for a curry, Bill and Wyn also enjoy gardening and are well known parishioners at Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church, in Haworth.