Diamond wedding couple celebrate 'wonderful journey' together

That's the secret according to a Shrewsbury couple who should know as they tied the knot 60 years ago.

Emyr and Sylvia Jones, of Ashfields Road, met while they were working at Chatwood Safe Company in the town. But Emyr, who is known as Em by his friends, did not at first have eyes for Sylvia.

"I fancied him but he wanted me to ask someone else to go out with him," said Sylvia, 81. "He did but he soon came to realise that he'd made the wrong choice!"

Retired engineer Emyr, 82, went to see a netball game starring his wife to be and, as he says: "Her pink shorts did the trick!"

After being engaged for more than two years Emyr popped the question but not in the traditional down on one knee kind of way. "He said I should pull myself together and get married, so we did," said Sylvia.

They were married at the Church of the Holy Spirit, in Meadow Farm Drive, Shrewsbury, on September 16, 1961 and both agreed that it "has been a wonderful journey so far".

Throughout their married life they have shared similar interests, including being active members of the Ramblers Association. Sylvia also worked at a League of Friends charity shop for 12 years after retiring from office work.

"Now we manage to prop each other up and hope to keep going for a few more years," said Emyr, who came to Shrewsbury from Snowdonia as an apprentice in 1956.

They celebrated their big day with a meal with friends at Lakeside Golf Club, then a cake cutting at home, and by having neighbours around for a drink in the evening.

"It has been an excellent marriage," said Emyr.

"I put it down to give and take", he explained, with Sylvia adding "and a little argument every day."