Love blossomed for this couple who grew up on the same street, courted and married sixty years ago.

Stephen and Joan Dobie, of Greenbank Avenue, Whitehaven, have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary. To mark the milestone, the couple went on holiday with family.

Stephen, 84, and Joan, 79, say they lived at opposite ends of the street in Greenbank when they were younger. They started courting when Joan was a teenager and Stephen was in his early 20s.

The pair married in 1957 at St Peter's Church at Kells.

Stephen said: "I worked at Whitehaven Ice Works on Queen Street before going to work at Marchon."

Joan says she worked at Smiths, however, finished with the firm when she was pregnant with one of their sons.

"I then worked at Whitehaven hospital, cleaning. After that I went up to West Cumberland Hospital," she said.

The couple have two sons, Stephen and Keith. They also have nine grandchildren, six great grand-children and one great great grandchild.

Stephen said they live next door to their son Stephen and daughter-in-law Karen, and went on holiday to Benidorm together for their anniversary.

Their hobbies include taking their son's dog Jack for walks.

So, what is the success of their long-lasting marriage? "We love each other and we like being together," says Joan.