HALF a century and not out, Dennis and Shirley Barker say married life is every bit as good now as when they first wed.

Celebrating their golden wedding anniversary at the weekend, the Sunnybrow couple said that there is no great secret to a happy marriage, just give and take and an appreciation for the simple things in life.

Mrs Barker, 69, said: "We've always done things together, the family came first and we enjoy gardening, holidays, walking.

"It shouldn't be difficult to stay together, there are ups and downs but with give and take and a bit of work to pull together you stay happy."

The couple met when they were teenagers at a youth club at St John's Church, in Sunnybrow, where they were members of the drama group.

And it was on stage after a performance of the group's pantomime Dick Whittington that Dennis, now 74, proposed to Shirley, nee Coe, and in 1956 they married at the same church.

Number one in their life has always been their family - including son Stephen, 48, daughter Susan, 46, and five grandsons.

Both worked for the NHS at Bishop Auckland General Hospital - Dennis as a painter and decorator for 40 years and Shirley in administration in the hospital's former nurse training centre for 34 years.

And they also stayed busy as members of Willington Wesleyan Chapel's touring concert group and remain active members of Willington Cricket Club.

Dennis is president of the club and Shirley used to be secretary - the only female cricket club secretary in the district at the time and a role her son now holds.

On Saturday, the cricket club hosted an anniversary party for the couple to celebrate five decades of marriage with friends and family.