THEY met at the dancing and after 70 years of marriage Benarty couple Alison and Robert Gibson are still in step.

Now great grandparents, they were married on the June 17, 1950 at Ballingry Parish Church by the Rev. John Sievwright and celebrate their platinum wedding today (Wednesday).

Rab, 91, and Ali, 90, as they are better known, met at the dancing in Lochore Institute where they are still members.

He was on the committee for 24 years and the couple were made honorary members seven years ago.

The popular couple have eight children, five sons and three daughters. There are two sets of twins in the family, a boy and girl each time, as well as 16 grand children and 19 great grandchildren.

Rab was born in Lochore in December 1928. He left school at 14 and started work at the Mary Colliery, Glencraig, in 1942 and worked there until it closed in 1966.

He then worked in the building trade for five years, then at Rosyth Dockyard as a slinger, until he retired. Rab loved playing football as a youngster.

Ali was born in Saline, in December 1929, then the family moved to Glencraig.

She left school at 14 and worked in a silk factory in Dunfermline and as a bus conductress before starting a family.

Ali then worked at Todd and Duncan, in Kinross; the chicken processing factory, in Glenrothes, then Sinclairs, in Dalgety Bay, until she retired.

For holidays they enjoyed bus trips to the north of Scotland and also stays, over the years, in Blackpool, York, Wales, Ireland, Austria and Jersey. The family home for 65 years was in Kirkland Park, Ballingry, but they moved to Lochleven Road, Lochore, a few years back. Ali had a fall two years ago and ended up in hospital. She then moved to Benore Care Home where the couple will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary today.