A DEVOTED couple celebrating their diamond wedding today say that their shared love of music is what has kept them in blissful harmony.

Keith and May Heywood, of Turton Close, Bury, are marking 60 years of marriage while on holiday in the Isle of Man.

The couple, both aged 82, met at Fishpool Infant School and also attended St Chad's Junior School together before meeting up again in their late teens through church.

Both were singers in the Warth Methodist Church choir and married at the church when they were 22.

Keith, who is the longstanding conductor of Radcliffe Male Voice Choir, said: "We have known each other for a long, long time and I think it's our love of music that has really kept us together through the years.

"Our social life has always revolved around music, ever since we met each other church all those years ago, and our shared love of music and singing is still going strong to this day."

Keith and May have one son, Paul, and three grandchildren - Ben, Lucinda, and Sam - and celebrated the landmark occasion with a family meal before heading off on holiday.

He added: "It was lovely to mark our anniversary with a nice little family meal and we'll have a great time in the Isle of Man, as we always do.

"We absolutely love going there and have been doing so for about 30 years. Because we've been going for such a long time it's like a home away from home for us."

Earlier this year, Keith was honoured by the National Association of Choirs for a half-century of service at the Radcliffe group's 94th annual gala concert at Bury Methodist Church.

He was previously conductor of Ramsbottom Choral Society and took charge of the group in 1965 as a favour when his predecessor fell ill.