A YORK couple who were today marking 50 years of married life have a triple family celebration lined up.

Peter and Margaret Littlechild, of Huntington, first met as teenagers at the Petina dance school in Acomb and tied the knot six years later on July 1, 1961.

They will mark the milestone with a party at the New Earswick Folk Hall, which will also celebrate the 60th birthday of Margaret’s niece, Judith Lea, and the 30th birthday of Judith’s son, Daniel.

Margaret, 71, spent most of her working life at the Mulberry Hall china and crystal shop in Stonegate, York, while Peter, now 73, worked as a manager at Jewsons before becoming a cleaner at the University of York.

The couple have two children, Duncan and Sarah.

Margaret said: “We got chatting at the dance school and Peter said 'Is anybody taking you home, because if not, I am', so that was really romantic!

“We both have busy lives, having worked nearly all our married life and travelled a lot, and we have a marvellous set of very close family and kind friends. If you have that, you can face anything.”