A COUPLE who ran an Aberystwyth newsagents have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary.

John Witts, 83, and Jean Witts, 80, who live in Trefechan, celebrated 60 years of happy marriage together with a party at the Belle Vue Hotel on Aberystwyth seafront.

The party took place on 8 April, so they could also celebrate Jean’s birthday, which is on 9 April.

The couple have two children Byron and Deborah, eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren, as well as other family members living in Coventry and South Wales.

The couple used to run J & J Witts newsagents in the town, which was located on Eastgate Street for more than 30 years before closing in 2000.

Both originally from Ogmore Vale near Bridgend, the Witts met at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in the town when Jean was 18 and John was 20.

They married on 30 March 1957 in the same church and then moved to Aberystwyth in 1965.

For a short time, Mr Witts worked at the Co-operative on Great Darkgate Street, but soon the couple decided to open up a newsagents, first on Great Darkgate Street, but then later moving to number 25 Eastgate Street.

Mr Witts became the president of South Wales branch of the National Federation of Retail Newsagents, and would often travel to Porthcawl for meetings with other traders.

He is now a life member of the federation because of his many years of devoted service.

See this week’s south editions for the full story, in shops and online tomorrow