A DALMUIR couple who struck up a romance at a dance 60 years ago will celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary in lockdown.

Anna Cloherty, nee Boyce, moved to Clydebank from Ireland when she was 18 years old and met the love of her life, John, at a dance.

Kelly Madden, who is one of the couple’s seven grandchildren, told the Post: “I think it was a time when quite a few Irish people had travelled over here.

“She met my papa at the dance, and they hit it off immediately from the first time they met, so you could say it was love at first sight.”

The couple enjoyed each other’s company for a year, before John was posted to Cyprus with the Army, so in the meantime Anna decided to move back to Ireland.

John wrote letters to Anna frequently, but it was one letter in particular which brought joy to her face - when he wrote to tell her that he was coming back home.

So Anna moved back to Clydebank and got a job at the Singer sewing machine factory, while John worked as a welder at John Brown’s shipyard once his Army days were over.

Kelly added: “She absolutely hated working at the factory as she did not like being stuck indoors.

“She loved going outdoors and meeting new people. She is such a friendly person. It was only when she was pregnant with my mum which was a year after getting married that she decided to leave.”

The couple got married in Ireland with Anna’s family around her on April 3, 1961 and went on to have three children, Caroline, Paul and James.

They now live happily in their Dumbarton Road home surrounded by their seven grandchildren, one great-grandchild and many dogs.

Kelly said: “They were hoping to go back to Ireland to get a blessing, but obviously because of Covid they can’t, so we’ll have a small family gathering in the garden. They are both Catholic and I was hoping to get them a blessing at the local church.

“We can celebrate when all of this is a bit calmer.

“I would like to wish them a happy diamond anniversary.

“They are so generous and would do anything for anyone.

“Everybody in the community adores them and I couldn’t think of anyone else who deserves this more.”