A WARTIME romance has led to 60 years of marriage.

Thomas and Mary Tunstall, of Middleton-One-Row, near Darlington, celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary with friends and family yesterday.

The couple met while Mr Tunstall, who is from the Lake District, was stationed near Mrs Tunstall's father's farm, near Scorton, North Yorkshire.

They were married on October 2, 1943, while Mr Tunstall was on leave from the Army. Within months, he had been posted abroad to take part in the D-Day landings.

He also saw action at Arnhem where he was surrounded for three weeks by German troops before being rescued.

"It was a very worrying few weeks as I didn't know what was going on. All I could do was a listen to the radio," said Mrs Tunstall.

After being demobbed in 1946 Mr Tunstall lived with his wife in Sadberge, and found work at Teesside Airport.

The couple moved to Middleton St George, before retiring to their present home. They have two daughters, Adella and Sandra, two grandsons and two great-grandsons.

"We're always together and we appreciate each other's company," said Mrs Tunstall.

"He's always been a perfect rock to me. The weather was perfect on our anniversary day, just like it was when we were married."