ALTHOUGH diamond duo Eric and Beth Seddon left Astley 20 years ago, they still keep up with all the local news -- thanks to the Journal.

This week, the Lincoln-based couple, who are celebrating a sparkling 60 years together, hit the headlines themselves.

They married on June 27, 1942 at Astley St Stephen's Church while Eric, now 82, was on leave from war service. Their honeymoon lasted just four days before Eric waved Beth goodbye and headed for the front.

It was four years before Beth saw her husband again.

The Astley-born pair met as children at St Stephen's School but paired up as teenagers after Sunday church services.

Beth, 81, said: "In those days, we went to church every Sunday as an excuse to go out."

Eric, who worked for the NCB, dealing with compensation for miners, was called up and while on leave from his base in Scotland, came home and popped the question.

Wedding arrangements were sorted within the week and they had Saturday to Wednesday together before Eric went back to see service in North Africa, Egypt, Sicily and Italy.

Beth worked as a weaver during the war and on Eric's return, they lived in the East Lancashire Road with Beth's family.

Their daughter, Kate, was born, and they bought a home just around the corner, in Higher Green Lane, which they left on Eric's retirement from the civil service in 1983.

The war over, Eric found his job with the Coal Board had been taken over by the Ministry of National Insurance and was employed by the government.

He was posted to Leigh's NI office in 1948 and moved on with promotions to Salford and Bury, finishing a long career back at Windermere Road, Leigh, as higher executive officer.

On retirement, the couple decided to up sticks and headed to the Lincolnshire village of Harmston, to be near their daughter and three grandsons.

Eric said: "I don't know how I ever found time to go out to work."

He became a parish councillor, a member of the village church council and the village tree warden. Now he spends his time gardening and woodturning on his two lathes.

Beth said: "We always keep in touch with what is going on in the Leigh area. We look forward to receiving the Journal from friends every week."

The couple, who also have a language teacher son, Adrian, had a celebration for 100 guests in the village before setting sail on a Baltic cruise.

Beth said: "We have been very lucky. We have good health and have had a good life. We have a lot to be grateful for. Like everyone else, we have seen good times and bad times but you have to shoulder them together."