By David Siddall

Last updated 10:20, Thursday, 10 April 2008

A WARTIME chance meeting at a dance in Harrington was the starting point for a long and loving relationship that saw Donald and Isobella Storr celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary last week.

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Donald and Isobella Storr celebrate their diamond wedding at their Distington home

At the time Isobella had been working for the Air Ministry and Donald was toiling as leading stoker on HMS Musketeer guarding convoys on the dangerous Arctic route to Russia.

At their Rectory Square home the Distington couple looked back to the early days when they fell in love and Donald had to keep up the friendship through letters home. He recalled the days around Christmas 1943 when his destroyer was one of those that had to run the gauntlet to fire off torpedoes at the German battleship Scharnhorst off North Cape. Donald still has a card signed by some of the few German survivors. Of her total complement of 1,968, only 36 were pulled from the frigid waters.

Donald returned home and after a short engagement the couple were wed at the church of the Holy Spirit, Distington on April 3 1948. Donald started work at High Duty Alloys and was there for 39 years. Isobella was active in the village and is the only founder member of the WI which helped her in so many ways. She is a founder member of Distington Day Centre and in the Mothers Union and church choir.

The couple have a son Michael, married to Sarah, grandson Justin and grand daughter Jessica all living in New York. They have all been visiting for the wedding anniversary celebrations.

The family had a celebratory meal at the Town House, Workington. They thank everyone for donations that will be given to the elderly care wards at West Cumberland Hospital.