A BRADFORD couple have celebrated an incredible diamond anniversary with a lunch date and a big party for friends and family.

Avril and Maurice Woodward, of Queensbury, made it to 60 years of marriage last Thursday and friends and family descended from as far away as Holland on Saturday for a do at Buttershaw Lane Working Men's Club.

Granddaughter Natalie Smith got in touch to tell us about the milestone and informed us that Avril, 79, was actually born and raised in Cumbria.

She then moved to Bradford when she was 15 after her parents bought an off licence in West Bowling.

Maurice, 81, was born and raised in Bradford and had moved to Buttershaw when he was nine.

Their families first met in 1955 when Avril and her father were making a shop delivery to Maurice's parents house.

Avril made friends with Maurice's sister, who invited her to go to Wibsey Fair, and it was there that Maurice and Avril first met and became friends.

Their first date was never supposed to be a first date at all. Maurice's sister was supposed to go with the pair to see a film at the old Carleton cinema in Manchester Road.

She was unable to make it so Maurice and Avril went alone. After that happy accident, their relationship blossomed from there.

They were engaged in March 1958 and married in June 1959 at St Stephens Church in West Bowling.

They have three children. six grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

They lived together in Shelf but retired to Queensbury in 1996.