Corby couple celebrate 70th wedding anniversary with cake and homebrew

A Corby couple will celebrate their Platinum wedding anniversary with a slice of Victoria sponge and homebrew to toast their 70 years together.

John and Betty Jess were married in mill town New Lanark on the banks of the River Clyde, but the newly-weds chose Corby to raise their family.

Now seven decades on, unable to celebrate with a large gathering, family and friends will be popping by their Hazel Leys home to mark the couple's milestone moment.

Granddaughter Rionne Stevenson said: "They are still very happy but I'm sure they have their moments.

"What an amazing milestone and it's such a pleasure to be able to celebrate their special day with them. We are very much looking forward to celebrating with grandad's homebrew, some fizz and home-made cake."

John, 94, and 88-year-old Betty were married after he had completed his war service - he had been called up as a 19-year-old and served from 1945 to 1948 as a driver in the army.

The young couple moved to Corby in 1954 for the steel works, making their home the Hazel Leys estate and raising their two children Stewart and Ann.

After the steel works, John went onto work at the John Carr factory on the Weldon industrial estate.

Betty spent her career in Corby at a shoe factory and at RS Components. She spent her final working days at Finnegan's Famous Cakes where she had great fun with friends Frances and Nolene before they finally retired together and have spent more than 20 years enjoying one another's company.

After many years on the Hazel Leys estate, they moved to Great Oakley, but six years later, they moved back to their original Hazel Leys street where they still reside today.

Keen domino players, John and Betty have been able to get together with best friends Harry and Francis.

As well as being passionate gardeners, the couple enjoy days out in their car.

Rionne said: "They are both very independent and still have a car to enable days out and they both absolutely love their garden, this keeps them going. They give the Chelsea Flower Show a run for its money.

"All the grandchildren including Sam, Rionne and Vicki wish our 'king and queen' a huge happy platinum wedding anniversary congratulations. We'd like to thank them for everything they do for us, we love them very much."

Betty and John have five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.