KING Charles was the first to offer his congratulations to a Barnton couple celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary.

Elaine and Kenneth Hodgkinson have been married for 60 years!

The couple tied the knot at St Mary and All Saints’ Church in Great Budworth on June 20, 1964.

Elaine worked as a catering assistant at ICI Northwich and Kenneth was a boilermaker, also at ICI Northwich, and he played in Barnton Silver Band.

The couple moved to Barnton and brought their two children and had a budgie called Selwyn, who came from the local undertakers.

Kenneth was an engineering manager at Granning UK in Warrington and Elaine cooked for the youngsters at Meadows Residential Home in Barnton.

Over the years, they have travelled across the world, enjoying a world cruise in 2023, and they still like ballroom dancing together.

They have happy memories of long hot summers at their caravan in Abersoch and afternoon spent at Marbury Park outdoor swimming pool.