Two diamond couples whose love blossomed on the dance floor are celebrating 60 years of marriage this week.

Oswaldtwistle couple Neil and Sheila Martin, who went dancing on their first date, tied the knot 60 years ago on August 6, 1955.

While Margaret and Clifford Emmett, of Lodge Street, Accrington, met while dancing at the Blackpool Tower ballroom on Easter Saturday, 1952, and married three years later in Oswaldtwistle.

The Emmetts are due to celebrate their Diamond Wedding anniversary this Thursday, August 13.

Neil, 83, and originally from Southport, and Sheila, 80, from Nelson, went on their first date to the Imperial Ballroom in Nelson back in 1951.

Neil and Sheila Martin celebrate their Diamond Anniversary (photo by Peter Jones)

Sheila, who was just 16 at the time, said: “Neil had seen me before at the Romany Ballroom, but I did not know him then.”

“The Imperial Ballroom was the biggest in Nelson and all the big bands such as Joe Loss used to come.”

The couple got married four years in Carr Road Baptist Church and have one son, 47-year-old Tony.

The couple celebrated their Diamond anniversary at the Monte Cristo Restaurant in Oswaldtwistle with close family and friends.

Sheila, who worked for an engineering firm in Blackburn before retiring said: “Two of my bridesmaids from the wedding came.

“One of them was only a little girl when she was bridesmaid so it was nice to able to invite them and their husbands 60 years later.

“We all had a lovely time.”

The couple were also delighted to have received a telegram from the Queen to mark the occasion.

Neil and Sheila on their wedding day back in 1955

Six decades on the couple say they are as devoted to each other as they were on the day they first met.

Neil said he could not have wished for a better partner and said he felt the secret of a successful marriage was spending time together.

The former heavy engineer said: “You have got to enjoy each other’s company.”

Sheila, who was almost 75 before she retired, said as well as being husband and wife they were also good friends.

She said: “We still go out and about together most of the time and enjoy watching television.

“We used to love dancing but we can’t really do that now.”

Sheila added: “Of course over 60 years, you have your ups and downs. Everybody does - but you can’t just walk away from it can you?

“We never went to bed on an argument and that is important.”

“But I’ve been lucky to have such a patient man. It really has been such a happy marriage.”

Clifford, 87, worked as a milkman for 50 years in the Hollins Lane and Manchester Road area and Margaret, 93, worked as a weaver at Peel Fold Mill.

Their recipe for a long and happy marriage is ‘always pulling together and doing everything together’.

Clifford said: “We enjoyed dancing when we were younger and I did it for 60 years.

“I picked her out in the Tower ballroom. There were six of us who went on the train to Blackpool. When the others went to the pub for a drink first I went onto the ballroom on my own and excused Margaret who was dancing with her sister.

“We have been together all over the country playing golf. Every holiday was a golf holiday. We are both members of Rishton Golf Club and we also enjoyed playing bowls at Peel Park for 30 years.”