Diamond wedding couple John and Audrey Mercer are always surrounded by their family, because plant expert Mr Mercer has created new alpine flowers named after their children and grandchildren.

The couple, of Heaton, Bradford, were married in 1953 at the Parish Church, Windhill and have four sons – Graham 56, Gordon 52, Robert 47 and Philip 44.

They also have nine grandchildren – Toni, Clair, Jonathon, Sophie, Ellie-May, Dylan, Dexter, Gwennan and Seren – and four great grandchildren – Olivia, Morgan, Daniel and Bradley.

Mr Mercer, 85, is a nationally-renowned alpine gardener who has won multiple prizes over the years – earning him the right to name his own species of primulas.

And so far he has created at least 16 different species of primulas which have all been named afer their children and later daughters-in-law and grandchildren.

Mr Mercer was born in Sandy Lane, attended Sandy Lane Primary school and Belle Vue Grammar School which his sons also attended and his wife, now 82, grew up in Shipley.

They met at a dance and courted by joining a cycling club before marrying and moving to Baildon.

Mr Mercer had served in the Royal Navy for 18 months at the end of the Second World War and went on to become a TV engineer working for British Relay and later self-employed until his retirement in 1993.

His wife was a machinist in Maldina in Shipley for several years before becoming a cook at Belle Vue Boys and then Belle Vue Girls schools, then Thorn Park and finishing as head cook at St Joseph’s College until her retirement aged 65.

“It has been a marvellous life together,” said Mr Mercer yesterday.

“Audrey has been a fantastic wife and I’ve been very lucky because being a great cook has been her work and also a hobby.”

His wife said their close-knit family was the lasting joy of their relationship.

“We’ve had four lovely children and now have one big family, “Life’s always been really nice and it still is,” she said happily.

Of their sons, Graham lives in Huddersfield, Gordon is a postman in Bradford, Philip is a secondary school music teacher in Gloucestershire and Robert lives and works in Budapest.

The whole family are gathering in Baildon tonight at Hollins Hall Mariott Hotel for a big family celebration to mark the anniversary – complete with a telegram from the Queen congratulating them on 60 years of marriage.