A SHARED passion for motorbikes proved the start of a 60-year journey of discovery for a Worcester couple who are celebrating their diamond wedding today.

Frank Darke spotted his wife-to-be admiring his new bike outside his mother's home in Northwick Road, Claines, near Worcester, and he plucked up the courage to take her for a spin.

A quick ride around the block quickly turned to romance and within three months Frank proposed - on March 21, 1946, Evelyn's 21st birthday. Five months later they married.

Evelyn, now aged 81, and living in Tunnel Hill, Brickfields, said: "I was looking at this lovely new bike outside Frank's house when he came out and asked me if I wanted a lift. We had known each other since we were young, but not very well.

"We weren't courting long, before he proposed - a day I will never forget as it was my 21st. Frank was in the Navy at the time and I said I wouldn't marry him until he came out. We thought this would be quite a while, but he came out suddenly because of the unexpected death of his stepfather. We married just eight months after meeting."

But while their marriage has been a long and fruitful one and has left them with one daughter, Pauline, two grandsons, and a great-grandson, Louis, aged three months, the start of their life as a couple was not a smooth run.

Soon after they tied the knot, Evelyn was diagnosed with TB and had to spend six months in hospital. Just as she was recuperating, Frank was involved in a car accident that left him with a broken leg, and which meant he was immobile for six months.

But despite the unlucky start, Evelyn said there had been a lot of happy memories.

She added: "There are too many to list, but we both consider ourselves lucky, especially now we have been blessed with our first great-grandchild.

"I think Frank is the reason we have been together so long. He doesn't worry about money like some people - as long as he had a couple of coins in his pocket, he was happy.

Also, he is quite the modern man, helping me around the house. He is the chief dish washer, and never lets me do that."

The couple will celebrate their big day with a meal with close family and friends.