A YORK couple who are celebrating 50 years of marriage today are hoping their special day will help to ease the plight of ownerless animals.

Jack and Audrey Willsden, who live at Martin Cheeseman Court, Foxwood, were hoping to boost the funds of York's RSPCA centre, in Landing Lane, by asking people to make donations to the animal centre rather than buy them presents.

The couple, whose son, Michael, and daughter, Carol, live in York, were also running a raffle in aid of the RSPCA at Holgate Working Men's Club, where they were celebrating their golden wedding with about 90 guests today. Mrs Willsden, 72, said: "We have always been supporters of the RSPCA and send a donation every year. We have always had dogs - mainly golden retrievers - and we are hoping to raise quite a lot of money."

The couple, who came to York from Darlington 36 years ago when Mr Willsden, 75, a railway worker, came to work at the Holgate carriageworks, regularly visit the RSPCA centre in York.

Mrs Willsden said their secret to a long and happy marriage was their shared love of dancing and having some time to themselves. Mr Willsden also enjoys his snooker and dominoes.

Updated: 12:38 Saturday, January 26, 2002