A COUPLE who met through their love of dancing celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary today with a party for friends and family.

Sidney and Priscilla Caygill, both 84, courted for 13 months after meeting at what was known as the Weavers dance hall in Burnley before tying the knot at Holy Trinity RC Church, Brierfield, exactly 60 years ago.

The couple held a party at Dercliffe Home for the Elderly in Nelson to mark the milestone.

They have lived in and around the town all their married lives. Mr Caygill, who was born in Lanehead, Burnley, was a keen sportsman in his younger days, playing football for the former Brierfield Tuesday FC and Pendle Forest FC. He was also a keen darter for pub teams at The Sun Inn, Blacko, and The Old Bridge Inn, Barrowford. His family bought Doughty Farm, near Walton Spire, Nelson, when he was just six months old and Mr Caygill spent most of the rest of his working life on farms in the area. The couple farmed at Slitorforth Farm, Nelson, for 11 years before moving on to a farm in Fence. In all they spent 46 years farming before Mr Caygill moved on to work out his final years to retirement as a driver and engineer for Lancashire County Council.

By that time the family had moved to Beverley Road, Blacko, and then on to Regent Street, Nelson, before the couple settled at Dercliffe.

They have four children, June, David, Gordon and Edna, 12 grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren.

The Caygills are also planning a holiday in the Lake District with members of their family to mark their anniversary.

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