Newcastle couple who met as teenagers celebrate 70th wedding anniversary | Chronicle Live

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A Newcastle couple are celebrating 70 years of marriage after first meeting as teenagers. Mr and Mrs Cuthbertson were married on September 17, 1955, and have led a growing family including 25 grandchildren ever since.

Audrey, aged 88, and James, or Jimmy as he is referred to, aged 87 have lived in Newbiggin Hall in Westerhope since 1960 when the estate was first built.

The couple first met in the west end of Newcastle, as Audrey said: "We met in the picture hall. He was 14 and I was 16. Somebody had shouted 'Audrey he's still a school boy mind', so I ran away out the pictures and said I'm not going out with a school boy. So then we got back together later on when he had left school."

Since marrying, the couple welcomed four children - three sons, and one daughter. They now have 25 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren - which they joke keeps them very busy.

When asked the key to a long and happy marriage the pair simple said "love and family" and Audrey added: "Just sharing things and keeping talking." They will celebrate the anniversary on Wednesday with their daughter, who will be taking the couple out for lunch.

Audrey who has been recovering at home from a recent stay in hospital says she "doesn't want any fuss", but was looking forward to marking the occasion, and was pleased to report: "I'm getting out a little bit, I'm not too bad now."

Over their life the pair have had a variation of jobs. Son John Cuthbertson explained: "Dad was a club steward, mam worked with him dad played football when he was younger also played golf since they retired."

Audrey told ChronicleLive how her husband, the second oldest of 12, began his working career as a cabinet making before going into the forces and then later in breweries. Whilst Audrey the youngest of four, worked at a printers.

She said: "We've lived in Newcastle most of their life. Apart from when he was in the forces. We did go into married quarters for a while but I couldn't settle! So I came back home after three weeks because I was missing my mam."