A COUPLE are celebrating after being married for 60 years.

James and Doris Bamford got married at Westleigh, St Paul on March 30, 1959.

The pair, who both went to Leigh CE Primary School, got to know each other when James was delivering bread to where Doris lived on Keble Grove.

Leigh Journal:

James and Doris on their wedding day

They also met at dancing events before they tied the knot, both aged 20.

The couple had their honeymoon in Jersey.

Doris, now 80, who worked as a doctors receptionist at Wigan Road surgery for 27 years, said: “We have been very happy together.

“We have been going on caravan holidays for more than 30 years and have gone all over the UK.”

The couple have three children, seven grandchildren and a great granddaughter.

Since getting married, they have lived on Wigan Road before moving to St Helens Road in 1999, where they still reside.

Leigh Journal:

The couple at their engagement party

Proud of his upbringing, James has always wanted to keep his Leigh postcode.

In his career, he worked in a number of positions including jobs as a baker, wagon driver and at Tizer Ltd in Atherton.

In his latter position James won a holiday to Paris for a top salesman prize, but it clashed with Leigh's Challenge Cup final with Leeds in 1971.

The devout Leigh fan turned down the trip to the French capital and went to Wembley instead, where he watched his side lift the trophy after winning 24-7.

James, 80, added: “The best thing I have ever done was marry Doris.”

To mark their diamond wedding they received a card from the Queen.