LOVE was waiting around the corner for diamond wedding couple Leonard and Ellen Gisbourne when the "Dickie Bird" estate had just been built.

The couple (pictured), of Mostyn Avenue, Bury, both moved to Chesham Fold back in 1939, and bumped into one another on the street.

Leonard (79) said: "It was a new estate and we moved up there at the same time. We started saying hello, and took to one another straight away."

The couple courted and were married two years later at St Joseph's RC Church, Bury, before Leonard was called away in 1942 to be a Lancaster Bomber flight mechanic.

"I knew that I would have to go into the forces, so we decided to get married," he said.

Ellen (79), who had been a velvet weaver at Roger Peel's, Freetown, went to work on munitions at Ferranti in Bury.

After the war Leonard returned to his old job at the Co-op Dairy, before running his own milk round. The couple went on to be publicans at the Church Inn in Birtle from 1958-62 and the Cricketers Inn, Walmersley Road, from 1966-70.

They called time on that to open a newsagents in Blackpool, before returning to Bury.

The Gisbournes celebrated their anniversary last Saturday (Dec 8) at the Sykeside Country Hotel, Rossendale. The hotel is owned by their daughter-in-law Bernadette, her sister Muriel and the couple's son Charles (49), a former professional with Bury FC.

Their three other children are Leonard (59), Geoffrey (56) and John (43).

One of Ellen and Leonard's keenest interests has been supporting the Shakers, and watching their sons play football. They also have 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The couple received a congratulations card from the Queen, to mark their 60 years together.

Leonard added: "If we have had a problem we have always sorted it out in the proper manner so that it hasn't caused any trouble, and we have always had plenty of support from our sons and their wives."