Diamond celebration for Shrewsbury wedding couple
A Shrewsbury couple paid a nostalgic visit to the church in the town where they married as they and their family celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary.
Eileen and Dave Tipton, of Stokesay Avenue, Heath Farm Estate, received a card of congratulations from the Queen as they marked their 60th anniversary.
Daughter Jackie Fewtrell said: "They had a lovely day with lots of cards and presents.They even visited St Michael's Church in Shrewsbury, where they were married 60 years ago.
"We also had a celebration lunch, for family and friends at the Albright Hussey Manor Hotel."
Mr Tipton, a well known local footballer in his young days, was born in Rea Street, Belle Vue, Shrewsbury, in August 1934. A carpenter, he enlisted with the Royal Engineers. He was sent to Korea and spent more than five months in hospital after being seriously injured by an exploding mortar bomb in a training accident. Following the end of hostilities, he and his colleagues worked to make the war zone habitable again.
Earlier this year he was presented with the Korean Ambassador for Peace Medal at a ceremony at RAF Shawbury.
He worked at the Midland Red bus garage in Ditherington as a coachbuilder and bodybuilder starting in 1958 and leaving in 1980, later working at Vagg's Coaches at Knockin.
Eileen's maiden name was Reeves and the couple had first met at Morris' dance hall in the town. They went out for a short time before Dave went to Korea, and stayed in touch by letter, marrying a little while after his return.
They have a daughter, Jackie, and son-in-law, and two grandchildren, Tom, who is 27, and 25-year-old Lauren.
