A pair of football fans who met at a match aged 15 quickly realised they had each scored a winner.

Now Brian and Elaine Edwards, who are well known in St Keverne, where they have played key roles in village life, are to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary tomorrow (Thursday).

Brian, who grew up at Porthoustock, and Elaine, who spent her early years in Mawgan, first set eyes on each other at a St Keverne versus Mawgan football match as teenagers.

They were soon inseparable and married at Mawgan Church on January 2, 1954. They moved to a newly built house on the Treskewes Estate, where they have lived ever since.

At 18 Brian joined the RAF as a teleprinter operator, receiving training at Bletchley Park, before being deployed to Egypt. On leaving the RAF he returned to market gardening – which he had worked in previously – before enjoying successful careers with Kleeneze and various insurance companies.

On retiring from insurance he worked for 17 years at Poldhu Nursing Home. Elaine worked for Lizard Laundry and for many years waitressed at The Three Tuns in St Keverne.

Brian, now 82, and Elaine, 81, are both well known in the area for their prolific fundraising over the years for various good causes including the Children’s Hospice South West’s Precious Lives Appeal, the Blind Association and Cancer Research.

Brian in particular has raised many thousands of pounds for the Royal British Legion as Poppy Appeal organiser for the St Keverne Branch.

Both are keen Manchester United followers – receiving a letter from Alex Ferguson on their 50th anniversary – and local football supporters, with Brian previously playing in goal and winning numerous awards as a player and manager over the years. He played for St Keverne, Helston Athletic and Mawgan United.

Elaine has made many dresses for the midday dance on Flora Day, as well as a vast array of wedding and bridesmaids’ dresses, and outfits for St Keverne and Coverack carnival queens.

She has also been wardrobe mistress for the Keverne Kaudlers theatre group in the village, making costumes from scratch.

Music has always been a big part of their lives and remains so, with Elaine a member of the St Keverne Ladies Choir and Brian playing for both Constantine and St Keverne bands over the years; they still go to concerts whenever they can.

The couple plan to enjoy a family meal to celebrate their special anniversary.

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