A RAMSBOTTOM couple who have lived on the same street as one another their entire lives are set to celebrate 60 years of marriage.

Jim and Betty Chapman, both aged 80, will celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary next Thursday, six decades on from the day they tied the knot.

The pair grew up just yards away from one another in Bolton Road West, and attended school together at St Andrew’s Primary School and Peel Brow Secondary Modern.

However, it was not until they began working for the same local company, Turnbull and Stockdale Ltd, in 1953, that their relationship blossomed.

They began dating, but their courtship was briefly interrupted as Jim was required to join the army to undertake national service.

Thankfully, their commitment never wavered, and one month after Jim returned home, they got married at St Andrew’s Church on September 20, 1958. They settled in a cottage in Bolton Road West and had three sons together, although one was tragically killed in a car accident aged 17. They now have six grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.

Betty said: “We always knew each other and our parents had been friends. We both used to go ballroom dancing and because Jim was tall and so was I, we ended up dancing together and it all blossomed from there.

“We have always lived on the same street. I was born at number 1, he was born at 61. We got married and lived at number 12 and then moved to 14.”

So, what do they think is the key to such a long marriage?

“Never go to bed on an argument,” says Jim.

“If we fall out then it is finished with two minutes later. We just sort things out and that it is that.”