Telford couple celebrate diamond anniversary after courtship full of card games

The couple met studying history at university in Nottingham in the late 1950s. After a courtship filled with books, card games and lively debates about history and economics, the couple were engaged on a bench overlooking the River Trent.

Suitably, the history graduates were married in a Norman church, the oldest building in the borough of Havering - St Helen and St Giles in Rainham.

On Wednesday, surrounded by a few close friends, champagne and nibbles, the couple looked back on their 60 years together with great emotion.

Patricia, now 82, said: "I was so full of mixed emotions, being forced to look back over such a long time. It was much, much more emotional than I thought it was going to be."

Looking back at their courtship, the couple fondly recalled long evenings playing bridge in the university's student union.

"Phil taught me how to play to bridge," Patricia said: "We used to finish lectures, go down to the student union and play partner bridge, and even though I'd play the wrong card we never fell out.

"In those days we used to go the Saturday dance - well, Phil didn't dance! If he didn't play cards I don't know what I would've done."

Philip, now 81, said he was lucky to have found his wife of 60 years. He said: "There were so few women in university those days, getting a woman was quite a task! There was certainly competition, but I fought them all off and definitely got the best."

The couple, who both worked in education, retired to Shropshire around 20 years ago to be closer to their two daughters and four grandchildren.

Patricia, the former mayor of Wellington, called the retirement their reward for a life of hard work.