Burnley couple who are 'familiar faces' at Buzz Bingo thrilled to receive card from King Charles as they celebrated Diamond wedding

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
A Burnley couple have toasted 60 years of marriage.

Alan and Ann Birkett are both originally from Cumbria but moved to Burnley in 1966 when Alan changed jobs, from being a farmer, to working at the former Michelin factory where he remained until his retirement in 1993. The couple met at the Crown Inn in Pooley Bridge, where Alan played for the darts team. Ann popped in for a drink with friends to round off a night out in Penrith. They got talking and the rest is history.

Read More
33 great photos as revellers arrive for day one of the Beat-Herder Festival 2024...

The Birketts, who were delighted to receive a card from King Charles and Queen Camilla, married at St Patrick’s Church in Patterdale, Cumbria, on St Swithin’s Day in 1964. After the move to Burnley Alan was also a retained firefighter at Padiham Fire Station for a while and Ann worked at Burnley Cricket Club before and later as a cook for a residential home until her retirement. Ann enjoyed painting and drawing and was a member of the now closed Padiham Painting At Leisure.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Burnley couple Alan and Ann Birkett raise a glass on their 60th wedding anniversaryBurnley couple Alan and Ann Birkett raise a glass on their 60th wedding anniversary
Burnley couple Alan and Ann Birkett raise a glass on their 60th wedding anniversary

Keen sequence dancers, the couple, who have two daughters, Diane and Pauline, were members of a number of dance groups in the area and often holidayed, both at home and abroad, with the friends they met through their shared love of dance. The Birketts also love a game of bingo and are familiar faces at Buzz Bingo in Burnley. A get together with family, including their sons in law Chris and Wilf and their twin grandsons Luke and Joshua, was held to celebrate and they asked for people to make donations to Parkinsons UK and a men’s cancer charity instead of gifts.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1877
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice