CHRISTMAS Day will be a double celebration for Bernie and Joan Lawrence (pictured), as they will be celebrating 60 years of marriage.

The couple, who live in St Sampson’s, have reached their diamond anniversary. They married in the parish’s church on Christmas Day in 1948.

Mrs Lawrence was 19 when she met Bernie, who was 21, at a dance at L’Ancresse Lodge Hotel. They were married the following year. Mrs Lawrence said it was hard to believe they had reached the milestone anniversary.

‘We grew on one another and we are still doing so. We were going to get married in September [of 1948] but there was rationing and coupons around then.

‘My mother said it should be held in December so that all my relatives could come over from England and Jersey, but we didn’t expect to be wed on Christmas Day.’

It was the Reverend Hodgings who suggested the date which tied in well with Mr Lawrence returning from Alderney, where he had been working at the time.