Former Burton Albion player Ray Bowering and wife Marlene celebrate diamond wedding anniversary

A former Burton Albion player and his wife are today celebrating 60 years of wedded bliss. Ray, 81, and Marlene Bowering, 80, of Westmead Road, Barton under Needwood, eyes first met across a crowded dance hall but it was a walk in Stapenhill Gardens that they had their first encounter.

They were both at a dance at Burton Town Hall one Saturday night when they first saw each other and the next day Marlene was out for a walk around Stapenhill Gardens with friends when Ray gave her a little nod.

The following Saturday they both returned to the dance and Ray made his way across the dance floor to ask his future bride for their first dance. That was the beginning of their love story.

Ray and Marlene Bowering - Celebrating their Diamond Wedding anniversary — Ray and Marlene Bowering on their wedding day in 1957

The couple said their vows before family and friends at George Street Methodist Church, in Burton, on September 28, 1957. It was followed by a reception in the Bailey's Rooms, which were situated in High Street, Burton.

As Ray was in the Army at the time completing his National Service, he only had five days leave for the wedding and then he was off to Germany where he was based for six months.

Ray was a cooper at the brewery before signing up and went back to his profession after his National Service had finished, with his job taking them to Manchester for eight years before returning home. However, the couple had a dream to run a pub together.

They made the dream a reality and ran The Shoulder of Mutton in Barton under Needwood and one in Newhall. After around eight years they came out of the pub trade but were always on hand to cover when another landlord went on holiday.

Ray was also a big football fan and played for Burton Albion from the age of 17 and until the 1960s. He was that popular with the Brewers that they invited him back to become a director of the club, a job he really enjoyed. Ray even got to go into the board room at Old Trafford when Burton Albion played Manchester United in 2006.

The couple also have their own two seats at Pirelli Stadium for when they want to go and watch the matches. Before she began running pubs with her husband, Marlene started her working life at Tresises Printers, in Burton.

When asked the secret to a long and happy marriage, Marlene said: "We don't have many arguments, we just get on with life. If Ray wants to do something then he does it and I want to do something I will do it. We do have little fall outs but it would not be normal is we didn't."

Ray said: "The secret is that we have stuck with it. And we really don't argue!"

The couple, who have two children, Susan Power and Ian Bowering, and three grandchildren, have just returned from a holiday in Portugal and do not know how they will be celebrating the milestone anniversary. They will, however, definitely be having a "knees up" to mark the occasion.