A WELL-known Royal Wootton Bassett couple, Mary and Arthur Harrison, celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary today.

They were married by the Rev John Goodman at St Bartholomew & All Saints Church, Wootton Bassett, on May 25, 1957. Mary's sister Grace was bridesmaid, and after a reception at The Hut (forerunner of the present Memorial Hall), the couple honeymooned at Woolacombe, Devon.

Their courtship followed their first meeting on the Midnight Flyer, a Swindon–Chippenham train popular with dancers on Saturday nights. Mary alighted at Wootton Bassett Junction (a busy station in those days) and Arthur (then based at RAF Lyneham) at Dauntsey.

"When I saw Mary the next week, at the Majestic Ballroom in Swindon, she smiled at me," Arthur recalled. They have been in step ever since.

Mary (nee Coleman), 82, was born in the house next door to their present home. She was educated at the National School and at Bath Art School (to which she travelled daily by train).

She is an accomplished artist, and later cycled to work for Packard & Ord, in Marlborough, where she painted decorative tiles.

Arthur, 83, was with the RAF at atomic tests at Woomera, Australia, and subsequently served at Lyneham from 1953 until 1955, when he and Mary got engaged.

Before military service he had helped in his father's window cleaning business in the north east, where there were few employment opportunities.

Later he and Mary both worked for Vickers Armstrong at South Marston, before he ended his career with 28 years in the fire service at Lyneham.

The couple's two daughters, Janet and Sue, were born in 1963 and 1965, and now there are three grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Mary and Arthur have both been keen hockey players. Mary, who was president of the former Wootton Bassett Ladies Hockey Club, also played for Wiltshire. Arthur helped to found the Men's Hockey Club.

Mary has an impressive clutch of medals from running three Marathons (two in London, one in Swindon) and very many half marathons. She was a co-organiser of Wootton Bassett Carnival for 30 years, and is a keen member of Wootton Bassett & District Art Society, which she helped to found.

She is also a keen historian, a member of the Historical Society, and for years has enjoyed taking care of the historic Town Hall – a duty in which she succeeded her father. Among the Beavers, youngest section of the Scout movement, she was known as Squirrel, when she was a leader of Kingfisher colony.

She and Arthur both enjoy gardening, and have won Wootton Bassett in Bloom Awards.

Arthur and Mary Harrison agreed: "We've always got on and had a laugh!" They are grateful for their shared interests, family and friends. Arthur enjoys meeting pals at The Five Bells and there are relatives locally as well as overseas – in Canada and the USA.

Many will wish to raise their glasses today to this popular, public-spirited couple, who plan to celebrate their diamond anniversary with a summer trip to Devon, and a get-together with some of their nearest and dearest.