A COUPLE celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary have received a card from the Queen congratulating them.

Grandparents Pat and Jim Charnock, of Brownhill Drive, Blackburn are celebrating having spent 60 years together.

The couple met when they were teenagers at the West End Youth Centre and have been together ever since.

The card from Her Majesty says how pleased she is to hear of their successful marriage. She also wished them all the best for the future.

But Pat, 82, admitted it was not love at first sight. She said: “I didn’t like him like that at first, we were just friends.”

Pat and Jim, 83, will be celebrating the anniversary with their family and have invited their seven children and 15 grandchildren, as well as close friends, for an afternoon tea party at Holy Souls Church Hall, in Whalley New Road.

Pat said the secret to a long and happy marriage was making sure she and Jim did lots of things together. She added: “We have just enjoyed married life and worked together. We have got a big family and we try to get together as much as we can.”