A SENSE of humour and always saying 'yes dear' are the secrets to a successful marriage according to a Leigh couple.

Len and Joyce Fayle have celebrated 60 years of marriage after they met in Pennington School dance hall in 1950.

They began courting but a year later Len, now aged 81, was posted abroad for his national service with the RAF.

Their relationship was kept alive by writing letters and they married at Pennington Church on April 3, 1954.

Joyce, aged 78, said: "We had only known each other a year and then he was off to the Middle East, Egypt, Iraq and Pakistan.

"Len didn't fancy an office job when he returned and so he worked on the buses for 35 years, starting as a conductor and working his way up to an inspector while I worked as BICC in the typing pool and ended up a secretary.

"I think the secret is always having a sense of humour but Len says it's because he always say 'yes dear'."

The couple, who have both lived in Leigh all their lives, celebrated by holding a party with their daughter Lesley, three grandsons and five grandchildren. Instead of presents, they asked guests to donate to the Stroke Association, as Joyce suffered a stroke in October but is now fully recovered, and they raised a total of £475.