A SPARKLING couple have vowed to mark their diamond wedding anniversary in style when coronavirus restrictions are lifted.

Liz and Billy Mitchell toasted 60 years of married life at their home in Dunbar last Thursday, alongside son Colin and daughter-in-law Charmaine.

They were surrounded by dozens of cards, including one from Her Majesty The Queen.

Liz’s mum and dad, Cathy and John Harvey, also celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary with a card from HM The Queen in 1999.

Speaking on Friday, Liz said: “We were going to have a do in West Barns Bowling Club.

“We have made an awful lot of nice new friends down here.

“It has been like a second life to us coming down here and everything has been great and we have thoroughly enjoyed it.

“We were just in the house and could not do anything but we got as many cards, presents and different things that have been handed in.

“It was really lovely yesterday. It was all we could do but the whole crowd of us have said once this terrible time is over we are going to have a joint party in the bowling club and we will get together again.”

East Lothian Courier: Liz and Billy Mitchell have celebrated 60 years together after getting married in 1961

Billy and Liz on their wedding day

Coronavirus restrictions have meant the couple have missed out on a number of milestones, with Liz, originally from Musselburgh, turning 80 towards the end of last year and Billy reaching the same age two months earlier.

Colin and Charmaine were also due to mark their pearl wedding anniversary last year.

A joint holiday in Skye was planned to celebrate the double wedding anniversary.

Liz and Billy, who live on the town’s John Muir Crescent, met when they both worked for haulage firm Pollock, which was based at Newbigging in Musselburgh.

Billy was a driver with the company for a number of years, while Liz worked in the office, before going to work with the local authority as the manager of the home help service in the social work service for more than 25 years.

They were married at Musselburgh Congregational Church on March 4, 1961, and headed off on their honeymoon to the north of England, with a stopover at the Royal Mackintosh Hotel in Dunbar.

It would continue Liz’s love of the town, which she moved to along with Billy 15 years ago.

She said: “I used to love Dunbar. When I was a kid, my mum and dad used to bring me down to the beach.

“At the weekend, we had picnics and would always come to Dunbar.

“I never thought I would be living here!”

The couple also have one grandson, 26-year-old Ruaridh, and Liz stressed there was no real secret to a happy marriage, other than good communication.

She said: “You just have to talk to each other. All these people that say they have never had a cross word, I don’t believe that for a minute! When you do have anything, you have got to sit down and talk about it; don’t let it linger.

“We have got the same interests, which is good.

“You have your ups and downs but that is life.

“I don’t think there is any secret – you have got to work at it.”