Couple celebrate 60 years of marriage

The Sandal couple first met at the Baths Hall, a swimming pool converted into a dance hall in Rotherham.

Mr Kirk, 81, said: “I was 17 and she was 16. I was introduced to her by a friend of mine. Really, he wanted to take Barbara out. But I jumped in first and of course we’ve been together ever since.”

The couple were married at St Lawrence’s Church, Tinsley, on March 30, 1957.

Mrs Kirk, 80, said: “We had our reception at the local community centre. We had boiled ham salad, jelly and ice cream and cups of tea.”

Mrs Kirk was employed at British Oxygen. Mr Kirk worked for British Steel and went on to run his own office cleaning company.

They moved to their home on Mountbatten Avenue, Sandal, in 2009.

Mr Kirk praised daughter Jane Walker and her husband Richard - parents of Laura and Kate - for their help when his wife was hospitalised with meningitis in 2013. He said: “They did everything for me.”

Mr and Mrs Kirk celebrated with family and friends at Waterton Park Hotel on Saturday, an event which doubled as Mrs Kirk’s birthday party.