IT IS a day to celebrate for a Salisbury couple who are marking their 60th wedding anniversary today (March 2).

Tom and Rosemary Smith, who live in Bemerton Heath, first met in the workplace.

Their paths crossed in 1954 when Rosemary was working as a telephonist at Ewen Ltd in Winchester Street where Tom had started work as a van driver for the business.

But the couple’s relationship did not start until 1955. And on their first date they enjoyed a trip to the pictures.

“It just went from there,” says Rosemary, 79.

Tom and Rosemary later married on March 2, 1957 at All Saints Church in East Harnham.

“It was a fine, beautiful day,” recalls Rosemary.

They spent their honeymoon in London followed by three days in Eastleigh with friends.

Tom, 85, who grew up in Winterbourne Gunner, and Rosemary, who was born in Lymington and later moved to Salisbury with her family, went on to have two children. They have two grandsons.

During his working life Tom worked for Salisbury Tyres which was later taken over by ATS. He was manager there for 20 years.

And he was known to many as “Tom the Tyre Man”.

Prior to this he worked as a firefighter at Porton for 18 months.

Rosemary worked in the office of Wellworthy Factory in Harnham and later Provident Finance until she retired.

Speaking about celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary, Tom admits: “It doesn’t seem 60 years. We both get on well together.”

The couple say the secret to a long marriage is “give and take”

and “sharing everything.”

“We go everywhere together,” says Tom.

“We’re tied at the hip,” smiles Rosemary.

They will be celebrating the anniversary milestone at a special lunch with family and friends at the weekend.