The secret to a long and happy marriage is to go to bed with a kiss.

That is the advice from diamond couple Brian Atkinson, 86, and Elizabeth, 79 who are celebrating 60 years of happy marriage together.

They recently celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary surrounded by friends and family and received a card from the Queen, as is now part of the tradition.

Brian was born in Great Yarmouth while Elizabeth was born in Bedford, but moved to the area when she was nine.

Her parents enjoyed holidays to the area and then her father got a job making resistors.

The diamond couple met on the seafront while they were both rollerskating when Brian was 23 and Elizabeth was 16.

After that they started courting before getting married in 1957 at St Peters Church, because the parish church of St Nicholas was still suffering from extensive bomb damage after the Second World War.

The newlyweds were waved off at Great Yarmouth train station after the service and they went to a cinema in Norwich to watch the John Gregson film True as a Turtle.

They bought a bungalow in Glenmore Avenue in Caister in 1958, where they have lived ever since, having extended it up and out.

They have one daughter, Rebecca, 52 and two grandchildren, Bethany, 28, and Jay, 23.

Brian worked at the Haydon and Grey Opticians in King Street, Great Yarmouth, for 50 years having started as an apprentice when he was 15.

Elizabeth ran a salon of the same name for 27 years, initially working with her sister, and helped train several girls over the years.

The couple were involved with Great Yarmouth Lions Club over the years, with Brian still being a member, and Elizabeth said they both enjoyed the social life involved.

Mr Atkinson said when he gave his granddaughter away at her recent wedding, he gave her the following advice.

'Never go to bed on an argument, go to bed with a kiss.'

Mrs Atkinson said if they ever had an argument they would always make up.

'She added: 'If we ever had a row we would always just forget about it.'