A DIAMOND couple with a love of sport have celebrated 60 years of married bliss.

Barry and Margaret Craighead were married at Portobello’s St James Parish Church on September 8, 1962.

The couple, who now live in East Linton, met at construction firm Cruden in Musselburgh, where Margaret was the typist in the office to the general manager.

Barry worked on the doors line, making doors and windows for Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow.

Barry told the Courier it was “definitely” love at first sight, although things nearly went wrong very quickly.

He said: “I met Margaret and the first thing I did was I bought a tandem and took her on a tour of the Highlands.

“That was nearly the end of a long life!

“Margaret did not cycle at all and I was a racing cyclist.”

The couple, who have two sons, Andrew and Sandy, enjoyed a honeymoon in Scarborough before moving to East Linton 20 years ago.

Barry recently stepped down from the village’s community council after 17 years of service to the group.

Away from his work as a joiner, he has been a key figure in athletics across Scotland and beyond.

He said: “I was the chief starter at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.

“I was also honoured to go to the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 as a starter.

“I did mostly rowing and canoeing and it was the first time ever that rowing was done with electronic starts.

“I am quite proud about that.

“I have done many other things, such as the World Cross Country Championships, but I have been very, very fortunate in the sport.

“I’m just about finished in the sport now, of course, at the age of 84!”

Margaret, who would go on to become admin officer for scottishathletics, was also treasurer for East Linton’s art club and choir.

The couple celebrated their anniversary at The Open Arms Hotel, Dirleton.

Barry explained the secret of a long and happy marriage.

He said: “Never argue about money. We never argued about money and I would rather give it away than argue. I always vowed when I met the right person I would never argue about money and it has been great.

“She was the right person for me and I must have been the right person for her.”