AN Irish couple who moved to Darlington in 1954 celebrated 60 years of marriage this week.

Although Ann and Patrick Sheehan moved to England in 1939, they came from different parts of Ireland and lived in different towns in this country.

Mrs Sheehan, aged 77, who is originally from Limerick, lived in a village in Warwickshire. They met when Mr Sheehan, now 85, arrived from Cork, as a bulldozer driver in a team building an aerodrome.

They married in Stratford-upon-Avon, in 1941, and moved to Darlington after Mr Sheehan was recruited to help build the Paton and Baldwin factory.

The couple lived in what is now McMullen Road, before moving to Wellbeck Avenue, and the home which they still occupy.

Mrs Sheehan was on the school dinner staff at the girls' grammar school, which became Hummersknott School, and Abbey Road Junior School. She later worked at Binns and at Terley's of Glasgow, in Post House Wynd. The couple have four daughters, a son, 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren