A COUPLE from Stourport celebrated their diamond wedding last weekend.

Vera, 80, and Claude Cook, 85, tied the knot at St Mary’s Church in Shrawley, at noon on August 2, 1954 and marked their 60 years of marriage by holding a celebratory party with their family and friends.

The pair have two children, Janet and Jeffrey, five grandchildren, James, Craig, Darren, Elizabeth and Lee and eight great-grandchildren, Lee, Jack, Harry, Emily, Amelia, Jorge, Maisie and George.

They first met in 1951 as Vera was a friend of Claude’s sister, Margaret, and after living in Shrawley for 10 years, the couple moved to Stourport, where they have lived ever since.

The now-retired duo have had a variety of jobs during their time in both Shrawley and Stourport. Claude spent seven and a half years in the Royal Navy before turning his hand to lorry driving and boiler operating, while Vera has spent time working as a shop assistant and as a factory worker.

As they are now retired, their time is spent around their ever-growing family, alongside playing cards and watching football - in Claude’s case.

The couple said the secret to a long, successful and happy marriage was to understand one another and to be able to say sorry, even when you did not think you were in the wrong.

One of the couple’s grandchildren, Darren Cook, said his parents were an inspiration to other couples.

“They are very kind and considerate people, who always put their family first,” he said.

“If you were to look up to anyone it would be Vera and Claude. Everybody who knows them would never have a bad word to say about them as a couple.”