WHEN Ron and Hilda Horseman married more than 60 years ago they vowed: "Till death do us part."

They were so inseparable that when Mr Horseman died peacefully his beloved wife followed only hours afterwards.

Yesterday, their daughter Margaret said the couple could not bear to live without each other.

Devastated at losing both her parents at the same time, Margaret has found solace in the fact that they have been reunited so soon.

"It is what they would have wanted, because both going together takes the pain away from the other being on their own," said Mrs Horseman, who lives a few doors away from her parents in Tees View, Hurworth Place, Darlington.

"They were a very devoted couple and it is really hard for me but I am pleased they have got their wish.

"It also means that we did not have the distress of having to tell one that other had died."

Their death ends a love story that started more than six decades ago and saw them celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary last year.

Ron was the son of an engineer from Darlington and Hilda was the daughter of the couple who used to run the Station Hotel, in Hurworth Place.

The couple got together after they were introduced by a mutual friend at a social event in Darlington

Their courtship took place during the early years of the Second World War. They married at St Peter's Church, in Croft, on September 26, 1942.

They moved into their marital home in Tees View, overlooking the river, in Hurworth Place.

It was to be their home for the next 60 years and they would raise their children Stephen, now 57, Margaret, 54, and Tim, who died in 1976, aged 17.

Mr Horseman was a special projects manager with Whessoe Heavy Engineering, in Brinkburn Road, Darlington, before he retired nearly 20 years ago.

His wife worked with the Woman's Royal Voluntary Service and was regularly involved with community work and charitable projects.

In their spare time, they enjoyed holidays in Italy, Majorca, Portugal and Tenerife, as well as entertaining friends at their home.

They had been ill for some time before they were admitted into ward 52 at Darlington Memorial Hospital, where sympathetic nurses arranged for them to have adjoining rooms.

Mr Horseman, 82, died at 9.15pm last Friday and was followed less than four hours later by his 80-year-old wife. Their children, Stephen and Margaret, were by their parents' bedsides.

The funeral will be held in the church they were married in, St Peter's, in Croft, on Tuesday, at 1pm, followed by a private family cremation in Darlington.

Stephen, who lives in Stockton, said: "They gave us very happy memories of growing up and I could not wish for better parents."