A COUPLE who met at a wartime dance have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Kenneth and Vera Mitchinson, of Escomb Road, Bishop Auckland, met in a dance hall in 1944. Nine months later, they were married - and still are after 60 years.

"We met at a dance in Essex," said Mrs Mitchinson, 82. "He just came up and asked me to dance, and that was it. He must have liked the back view.

"Kenneth was expecting to go abroad so we got married quickly - we didn't even get engaged first."

In the end, Mr Mitchinson, 83, was not posted abroad, but the couple have no regrets about marrying so quickly, at St Mary's Church in Essex.

Mrs Mitchinson left her job with the Women's Land Army shortly after marrying, and the couple have two children, Keith and Lynn, four grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.

The couple enjoyed travelling the world together in their 60s, and once went to Canada five years in a row.

Mrs Mitchinson puts their happy marriage down to "give and take" and said: "He never loses his temper."

Mr Mitchinson said: "She's stood by me all these years, which must be good."

Yesterday, Mrs Mitchinson shared a celebratory drink with old friend Eva, and last night the couple enjoyed a family gathering.