Colin and Margaret Wood from Norton celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversary on Thursday, November 17.

The couple first met when Margaret was working as a housekeeper at Rhydhir Farm, Llanbister but their first meeting certainly wasn’t love at first sight.

Colin was working on the farm and came in for dinner on his 19th birthday and tradition was to give a quick tug on the hair for the number of years of the birthday being celebrated. Margaret only gave one tug and then Colin slapped her across the hand with his knife.

A few months later Margaret had a flat tyre on her bicycle and asked Colin to pump it up. He agreed but only if she gave him a kiss. Romance then blossomed and they were married at the Pound Baptist chapel when Margaret was 20 and Colin 21.

The wedding day was cold, frosty but bright, bridesmaid were Margaret’s two sisters Linda and Brenda and Colin’s Best man was Tommy Thomas. After the wedding the couple went on honeymoon to Liverpool. The couple lived at the farm for a couple of years and then moved to Pilleth Cottage for five years before returning to the farm to look after poorly family.

Colin then started working on the roads with the Radnorshire county Council and was later made foreman of the Llangunllo gang and the couple moved to Norton in 1969. Colin worked for the council for fourteen years, then worked in the foundry, then back to the council before working at Midland Shire Farmers/Countrywide in Presteigne for 20 years and before his retirement worked at Kayes in Presteigne.

After he retired he helped son Ian out with his Access Taxi company. Now fully retired Colin enjoys gardening and helping around the house. Colin and Margaret have four children three sons and one daughter, seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren and spent several years looking after their grandchildren so their parent could work.

The couple celebrated their anniversary with a meal with those closest to them. They were given two cakes and lots of cards but pride of place was the card from the Queen.