A couple from Trowbridge have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary with an open house for family and friends.

Lester and Margaret Cook have lived in Trowbridge since 1977 and on Thursday, May 23 they will have been married for 60 years.

Among the visitors was their son Peter, who came over from Hertfordshire, where he now lives and works.Next week, their daughter Linda is expected to fly into the UK from New Zealand with two of their five grandchildren.

Mr Cook, now 85, first met Margaret, now 81, at a family christening for his cousin’s daughter, Doreen Davies, in Frampton on Severn in Gloucestershire.

He said: “Margaret just caught my eye. We got on very well and the attraction was there. She was also a Christian, which was a big help.”

Mrs Cook was working as a student nurse at the Gloucester Royal Hospital, while Lester finished his mechanical engineering apprenticeship with W Sisson and Company in Gloucester.

He did his National Service with the Royal Air Force in Bridgnorth and then RAF Stafford before moving to the RAF base at Colerne in Wiltshire.

Margaret, who was born in Newport in South Wales, later moved back to Newport to work at the Royal Gwent Hospital.

After having two children, she later worked at the Nevill Hall District Hospital in Abergavenny, while Lester moved to work for the Saunders Valve Company in Grange Road, Cwmbran. He later moved again to work for the Control Data Corporation in Brynmawr in Ebbw Vale.

The couple later moved to Trowbridge, where Mr Cook worked as a chartered mechanical engineer for Hattersley, Heaton Henders on what is now the Spitfire Retail Park in Bradley Road.

He spent two years there before moving to become works engineering manager at Avon Industrial Polymers. He said: “I helped to start up the company and retired in 1998 when it closed and moved to Portugal.”

Mrs Cook worked as an A&E nurse in Trowbridge Hospital before taking early retirement.

The couple now live at Regleth Grove in Trowbridge, and also have three great-grandchildren.

They both enjoy bird-watching in the UK and Europe, and Mr Cook plays bowls with the Trowbridge Town Bowls Club, while Mrs Cook is a handbell ringer at Holt. They are also keen church-goers at the Zion Baptist Church in Trowbridge.

When asked what makes a long and happy marriage, Mr Cook responded: “Always trust in the Lord.”

Their son said: “There has always appeared to be a infinite level of trust between the two of them and they’ve always shown a willingness to overcome any adversity thrown at them and tackle it head-on with either through agreeing to disagree or sheer bloody-mindedness, not taking marriage lightly and viewing it as a life-long commitment.

“There has always been a oneness about them and they just love and enjoy each other’s company.