A HELSTON woman who was orphaned as a teenager celebrated her diamond wedding anniversary on Saturday.

Eileen and Keith Smith enjoyed a party at the town's Godolphin Club, 60 years on from when they first met at the same venue.

Daughter Jayne told the Packet yesterday: "I'm still recovering from the party now. We had a family meal at the May Tree pub on Friday night and then we were joined by more relatives from France, Worcestershire and Lincolnshire and more locally on the Saturday night."

Jayne is the eldest of the couple's three children, with Ivor the middle child and Teresa (Jolly) the youngest.

Eileen, whose maiden name is Hinder, lost her father in a road accident when she was just 15, before her mum died from breast cancer three years later.

She is one of eight children and following the sad loss of her parents, she decided to bring up three of her younger siblings with her new husband Keith.

They had met at a dance in the Godolphin Club while Keith, originally from Lincolnshire, was serving in the Royal Navy at Culdrose. They married on July 5, 1958.

Together with Jayne's sister Teresa, the couple, who live in Coronation Place, have provided the early morning breakfast for Helston Town Band for a number of years on Flora Day.

Keith was a member of Mullion Golf Club for several years before latterly enjoying fishing, while Eileen is a keen bingo player.

They are a big family, with Keith one of ten. There are also seven grandchildren, four great grandchildren and another baby on the way.