THIS diamond Gourock couple are celebrating 60 wonderful years together.

Terence and Mary Kelly say laughter is the secret of their long and happy marriage.

The youthful pair, who both belie their 83 years, will mark the magic milestone on Tuesday.

Mary said: “We’ve had such a fantastic life.

“We’ve been very fortunate, although we’ve had our sad times as well.” Terence added: “We never really thought about being married this long.

“We’ve had a wonderful 60 years. I’m looking forward to the next 60 but I don’t think a lot of people would want to put up with me for that long!” The couple have lived in Barrhill Road for more than 40 years and met when they both worked in Greenock’s Cathcart Street, Terence as a barber at Ferguson Brothers, following his national service, and Mary at McAuley’s Bakers.

Terence was smitten when he spotted Mary’s ‘Betty Grable’ legs and said she tempted him by sending over chocolate logs for his tea break.

He said: “It was her legs I saw first, she was bending over a biscuit tin and I thought ‘that’s a nice pair of pins there!’.” Following a three-year courtship with dates to the pictures and dancing at Cragburn, they married at Old Gourock Parish Church on 17 February 1955.

Terence quipped: “It took me a long time to make my mind up.

“We took our time and we had to save up.” The newlyweds held a reception in the Gamble Halls and still have the receipt for the hire of the hall and the bill for taxi fares to transport their families.

They spent their wedding night at Glasgow Central Station Hotel and honeymooned in Carlisle.

Terence is originally from Kendal in the Lake District and the Kelly family moved to Gourock in 1937 with his father’s job.

After a spell with the Greenock hairdressers, he spent 10 years in the merchant navy as a ladies’ hairdresser on the P&O line’s SS Oronsay and was then manager of the salon on SS Cathay.

He said: “It was the best job I’ve ever had, spending 10 years travelling around the world at someone else’s expense.” Terence returned home intending to open his own business but ended up working for the Bank of Scotland for 21 years.

Mary was homemaker and cared for the couple’s sons Peter, now 59, and Fraser, 56.

Peter lives locally and is married to Rhona and they have two children Ewan, 26, and Lauren, 23.

He works at Inverclyde Royal supporting people with learning difficulties while Fraser, an economist, was an adviser to the recent Smith Commission on more powers for the Scottish Parliament.

He lives in Kelso with his wife Laura.

Terence said: “They are two wonderful boys. We couldn’t have wished for better. We’ve not had a minute’s bother in their whole life.” In retirement, Mary and Terence indulged their passion for sailing and owned a yacht until recently and spent many happy times sailing around the west coast.

Terence is also a prizewinning gardener and famed for his begonias.

Mary is an avid stamp collector, dating back to when Terence sent them to the boys when he was abroad.

They will mark their special anniversary at a family celebration together with their sons.