A DIAMOND Cowdenbeath couple have put the success of a long-lasting marriage down to having "a bit of give and take".

David Thomson, who was born in Fordell, and wife Mary, who originally hails from Hill of Beath, marked their 60-year landmark on May 14 with "a couple of wee drams".

The couple, who live in Rowan Terrace, had been together for three-and-a-half years after first meeting at the Cowdenbeath Palais before tying the knot, when David was aged 21, and Mary was 19.

After working down the pits in Kelty, David joined the Black Watch in 1959 and served with the regiment for 18 years, which saw him posted to the likes of Northern Ireland, Libya, Gibraltar and Malta.

When he left the army, David went to work at as head janitor at Dunfermline High School, while Mary held varying roles as a cashier and bus conductress in the town, as well as in healthcare.

A keen bowler, Mary was a member of both Lumphinnans and Broad Street bowling clubs – as well as at Nethertown, in Dunfermline, and Crieff – and was a champion at each, while David has been a member of Lochgelly Golf Club for 40 years.

Although their hopes of celebrating their anniversary on a Mediterranean cruise were scuppered even before the outbreak of COVID-19, when Mary fell ill in February.

David said: "We had a couple of wee drams. We had organised to go on a cruise, but Mary was diagnosed with cancer in February, so we cancelled.

"I've never been on a cruise, and I'd aye wanted to, and I'd finally got her persuaded. As it was our 60th, we wanted to do something special.

"We met at the Palais in Cowdenbeath; I was a bold 19-year-old, she was a lovely 16-year-old, and we married when I was 21 and she was 19.

"There has been more good times than bad; I get bullied a lot!

"It's a job that you have to work very hard at, and you have to work together. To get to 60 years, there has to be a bit of give and take, mutual understanding, and to be able to talk about things."

The couple have four children, six grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.