Sunderland Diamond Wedding couple receive card from Queen dated the day she died as they marked anniversary

Mary and Ernie May celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Thursday, September 8, and received a card congratulating them on their milestone from Queen Elizabeth II, which was dated the day she passed away.

Mary, 81 says the death of the Queen came as a shock but didn’t let the sad news dampen their celebrations.

She said: “When the news came that she was unwell, I knew it was something serious but it was still a shock when they announced her death.

"It was such sad news and it was quite overwhelming with our wedding anniversary being the same day. Luckily, we had our party planned the following day so we still managed to celebrate with friends and family.

"A card from the Queen was delivered just a few days before our anniversary, it’s quite special knowing that we were one of the last people to receive a card from her before she passed away.”

The couple from Roker met in 1958 at a Youth Centre in Sunderland and were engaged two years later in 1960.

Mary and Ernie then tied the knot in 1962 at St Hilda’s RC Church in Southwick.

Ernie, started his career as an apprentice bricklayer at Joseph Huntley and Sons before he was called as one of the last men to do their national service where he built roads and bridges across East Africa in Nairobi, Mombasa and the Congo border.

The 83-year-old also served as a Royal Engineer before returning from Africa two years later to Joseph Huntley as a General Foreman.

Before Ernie retired he worked at Gateshead Council as a site manager building schools and hospitals.

Mary worked at the local depot of the British Fermentation Product makers of yeast for the last 15 years of her working life.

The couple were engaged for just three weeks before Ernie was sent to Africa for 19 months.

Mary said: “We had been engaged three weeks and as part of Ernie’s national service he was sent to Africa and he was gone for 19 months. He was away for my 21st birthday, it was a very long time to be apart and it was hard but now we’ve made it to 60 years.”

Mary and Ernie, who have two sons David and Gerard and four grandchildren, Rowan, 19, Matthew, 18, Luke, 15 and Ella, 15 celebrated their anniversary at the Roker Hotel on Friday, September 9 and asked for donations to help send sick children to Lourdes instead of presents.

Mary added: “To be married for 60 years is unbelievable and to be honest you don’t even realise how quickly the time flies by.

"It’s been 60 years of a happy marriage, with some really wonderful times. I still can’t believe it’s been so long and we had a brilliant time celebrating with friends and family.”