A MIDDLEWICH couple are ready to exchange gifts this Christmas for the 60th time as husband and wife.


Jean Taylor, 79, and husband Thomas Eric Taylor, 80, tied the knot on December 11, 1954, after meeting a dance a year earlier, and this month celebrated 60 years of happy marriage.


The couple, who are originally from Manchester, moved to Guernsey before eventually making Middlewich their home and never left each other’s side throughout decades of marriage.


This year however, Thomas has had to move into Winsford Nursing Home due to ill health but the inseparable pair have not let it come between them with Jean going to the home to be with her husband every day.


When asked what the secret of a long and happy marriage is, Jean replied: “There is no secret. From the day we got married it’s just love and trust since that day and I think trust is important.


“It is just to be honest and trust each other there is nothing else really.”


The couple celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary with a party with extended family and friends, after a meal at the Woodpecker in Northwich with daughter Lynn, 58, and son-in-law Konrad, 59, granddaughter’s Erika, 32, and Kariss, 30, and great-grandson Riley Thomas, five, who was named after his great-granddad.


Jean and Thomas have inspired another generation of happy marriage with Lynn and Konrad now being married for 40 years.


Jean said: “The day was absolutely wonderful, we really enjoyed it. Erika read out a lovely poem and said that we had been an inspiration to her mum and dad, which was really nice.


“We’ve had a lovely letter from the Queen with her picture on the front which was really nice because she’s not long celebrated her diamond wedding anniversary too.”