A COUPLE who between them had the best part of 80 years’ service at a St Helens company today celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary.

Diamond duo Roy and Joyce Waine enjoy the numbers game and have spent the past 47 years living in the same house in Kimberley Avenue, Thatto Heath.

Roy, now 82, was just 16 when he and his future wife, the then 15 year-old Joyce Waring met at a social club dance in premises that stood opposite the old Thatto Heath clinic.

“It was OK there and popular with kids - we had no tellies in those days,” recalled Roy.

After leaving school at 14 he got a job at Fosters glass works but 18 months later moved to Beechams where he was employed for over 40 years, finishing as a foreman.

His Beechams marathon stint was interrupted when he was called up for national service and served as a tank driver in Egypt during the time of the Suez Crisis.

“Beechams was a good place to work, the wages and the overtime were good,” said Roy.

Joyce and Roy married at St Austin’s Church, Thatto Heath on March 27, 1954 - a busy day for weddings recollected Roy adding “everybody was getting married before April so they could get their income tax back”.

The couple have daughters Linda and Karen and a son, Tony, plus seven grandchildren and new arrival Lucy, their first great grandchild.

When not raising their family Joyce was busy working at Beechams, where she had put in around of 40 years service. When they were both made redundant Roy and Joyce enjoyed a succession of holidays abroad with Spain their favourite destination.

Saints fan Roy, who rates Tom Van Vollenhoven as his all-time favourite player, was forced to give up golf because of a back problem and is undergoing treatment for a tumour on his spine.

Now the Waines will be joined by family and friends in reflecting on 60 years together as soul mates and work mates.