Loving Dronfield couple reveal secret to long and happy marriage as they celebrate diamond wedding anniversary

Colin and Elizabeth Batty, 87 and 83 respectively, say ‘give and take, having fun and lots of laughs’ are the secrets to a long and happy life together.

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Mr Batty gave his son John a kidney when he was 64 so it is all the more remarkable that he was able to celebrate his diamond wedding.

The pair met at Tempered Springs in Sheffield, where they both worked.

It was a whirlwind romance and they married a year later at Ranmoor Church on May 14, 1960.

Mr Batty, who worked as a sales manager at Tempered Springs until his retirement, and Mrs Batty, who was a PA, went on to have four children, John, Andrew, Duncan and Jane.

The couple, who live in Dronfield, now have five grandchildren.

Their daughter-in-law Helen Batty said they had a ‘lovely’ wedding anniversary despite coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

She said: “They woke up to big 60 balloons outside their front window and a big 60 years chalked on the path outside their house – done at the crack of down by my husband Duncan and our eldest son Cameron.“They had a Zoom chat with all the family in the morning – their daughter Jane lives in France so obviously was unable to come over for the occasion – and watched a wonderful video montage put together by Cameron featuring all their family and closest friends from around the world wishing them well on their special day.

“They dressed up for the occasion.

“They were brought lunch by their granddaughter Kirstie, had a cake and fizz, enjoyed socially distanced chats with family from the drive and had a takeaway curry in the evening.

“They also received a surprise afternoon tea from the Vintage Tearooms on Abbeydale Road which was organised by the family.

“It was a fantastic day despite the lockdown, clearly not what we had planned and sadly there was no card from the Queen as they’re unable to do this at the moment – but it was lovely nonetheless.”

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