A WEE COUNTY couple will celebrate an incredible 60 years of marriage next month.

And ahead of a trip to the Isle of Bute to mark the occasion, Sauchie's Christine and Matt Clark told the Advertiser more about their six decades together.

In a rare twist of fate, the paid were actually born right next to each other in Alva.

Matt, 79, said: "We were born through the wall from each other and we didn't know it.

"So it must have been meant to be."

But it wasn't until they were both in their teens that they hit it off.

Matt said: "It was actually 1957, in Sauchie Hall they had the roller skating at that time – and I was into roller skating.

"This guy I was with said: 'Let me introduce you to my cousin,' which was Christine.

"So I met her, and we just got on from there."

According to Christine, 77, Matt would ask her on dates under the pretence he was looking for someone to help him get to know the place.

She said: "He took me out; he asked me to the dancing to 'show him Sauchie'."

And from there, the romance started to blossom.

But courting wasn't always an easy task back then, as Matt said: "I worked in the pits at the time, and backshift finished at seven o'clock so by the time you got showered and you were down at the dancing with the piece bag over the shoulder [it was late in the evening]."

Nevertheless, they made it work and on Christine's birthday in 1959, Matt proposed during a trip to Edinburgh.

Much to the amusement of his other half, he said: "I had to borrow half a crown off her because I just didn't have enough money to pay for the ring she wanted."

Not long after that the pair married on September 5 of the same year.

They went on to have three children of their own, and have become grandparents and great grandparents since then.

Matt worked in the pits, the building trade and a number of other industries throughout his working life – and played in bands during his time off too.

Christine started working life as a cashier in the Co-operative, and went on to work at several other places such as the British legion and Back o'Dykes.

Over their many years together, they have kept things exciting with frequently holidays to caravan parks and the continent.

Matt said: "We've had a good life, it's been hard and easy at times, but we've enjoyed it."

And when asked if they had any advice for young couples reading their story, Matt said: "Just keep working at it, that's all you can do.

"You've really got to try, together."

With a smile, Christine said: "You can't go to bed not speaking," to which Matt jokingly replied: "Always give her a wee kiss, whether you talk or not."