DIAMOND couple Jim and Anne Nichols are celebrating 60 years of married bliss.

The devoted pair became teenage sweethearts after meeting at a local dance and wed a few years later.

The groom could never make the excuse he had forgotten his wedding anniversary, as they tied the knot on 26 June 1955 — his 21st birthday.

Jim, 81, said: “We met at a dance in the Shepherd’s Hall where the the Morton Supporters’ Club is now.

“We used to go there every Wednesday and Saturday, Anne’s friend introduced us and I asked her to the dance on the Saturday.

“I danced with her the whole night and then I saw her every night after that. It was love at first sight.

“We lived near each other, I was from Captain Street and she lived in Roxburgh Street, but our paths hadn’t crossed before because she went to Greenock High and I went to St Columba’s.

“She was only 15 and I had just turned 17. We used to walk out to the west end every night and we’d go to the Empire or the pictures on a Saturday.” Recalling the early days of the couple’s relationship, Anne, 79, quipped: “He must have charmed me. It definitely wasn’t for his money!” They got married in St Andrew’s Church in Larkfield by Father O’Neill and settled in their first home in John Wilson Street.

Ten years later they moved to their present house in Flatterton Road, where they’ve lived happily for nearly 50 years.

Jim was an engineer in Scotts before being called up for the RAF and went back there when he returned in 1956.

He also worked for Joy Sullivan and Devol Engineering and was the chair of the Inverclyde clubs’ association for 30 years.

Anne was a shop assistant in the Crown wallpaper shop before giving up work when the couple’s family came along. She returned to work in Lithgow Electronics when they got older.

The couple were blessed with four girls, Cecilia, 56, Christine who sadly passed away in 2009 aged 51 through breast cancer, Jacqueline, 53, and Allison, 43.

Jim said: “We couldn’t have hand-picked a better family if we tried.

“The girls are magic, if they don’t call every day, they come out to the house.” Their daughters took the happy couple on a fabulous week’s holiday to Rome and threw a surprise party at Lady Alice Bowling Club, where Jim plays.

He said: “We thought we were going to my granddaughter’s engagement party and they asked me to book it.

“Little did I know I was booking it for myself!

“It was a big surprise for myself and Anne – Provost Robert Moran and Councillor Ciano Rebecchi were there and the deputy lord-lieutenant Dr Peter Semple.

“I had no inkling anything was happening, we walked into the hall and the song ‘Congratulations’ was playing, then the three girls ran out and said it was for us.

“The grandkids organised it and paid for it all. They’re as good as their parents. They can’t do enough for us.” Anne and Jim have six grandchildren, Kellyann, 33, Lynne 31, Lynnsey, 30, Christopher, 29, Keirne, 25, and 10-year-old Jack.

And the growing clan includes great-grandchildren Kimberley, 14, Kayley, eight, Morgan, three, Anna, two, and little Zachary who is eight months old.

As a thank-you the couple took out 23 immediate family members for a slap-up meal at The Exchange in Greenock.