Diamond couple mark their special milestone

The couple, who live in Golf Road, Mablethorpe, married in their native Sheffield on February 27, 1960, and will be marking their incredible milestone this Thursday.

Keith, 82, was working as an apprentice mechanic at the Deighton Motor Company in Sheffield back in the mid-1950s when Carole, 79, joined the company in an admin role - and both of them admit that it was love at first sight!

The pair were courting just three months after they met, and married four years later.

Within a few years they had welcomed their children Julie (58) and Andrew (56) into the world, and their family now also includes two grandchildren and four young great-grandchildren!

After getting married, the Gardiners remained in the Sheffield area for many years, with Keith running his own business (Rosa Road Garage) from 1978 until 1989.

However, the couple always had a soft spot for the Lincolnshire seaside, and would enjoy holidays in Cleethorpes and Mablethorpe before making a permanent move to the area in 1994 after selling the business and retiring from work.

However, as the couple were still several years away from state pension age, they later took up work at Golden Sands Holiday Park before their ‘real’ retirement in 2002.

Nowadays, the couple both enjoy membership of the Sutton on Sea Bowls Club, and have become supporters of the local RAF Association in recent years where they enjoy monthly get-togethers and wonderful friendships.

Keith and Carole will enjoy a meal out with some friends this week to celebrate, which will be followed by a much bigger celebration later in the year to mark both their special anniversary and Carole’s upcoming 80th birthday.

Quite fittingly, Keith and Carole agree that the secret to a long and happy marriage is mutual love and respect, being good friends, not taking each other for granted, and never arguing with each other!