A COUPLE had an extra special present for their golden wedding anniversary when one of their daughters made a surprise visit from the US.

Malcolm and Hilda Woolley, who met at a Darlington youth club, had been told Judith, who lives with her family overseas, was unable to attend the celebrations.

However, on the morning of their anniversary, there was a knock on the door and she was stood there.

Mr Woolley said: "It was a big surprise and we were all in tears, as we hadn't seen her for three years and certainly weren't expecting her to come over.

"We had a fantastic party with more than 100 friends and family including our other children Michael, Elizabeth and Stephen and the best man.

"It was a brilliant day and they had decorated the church hall for us, unfortunately the only person who could not come was my brother David, a former Baptist minster, who married us, as he was ill."

The couple, who now live in Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, met on Mr Woolley's 21st birthday.

He added: "We were both regulars at the youth club, but this was the first time we had met and although Hilda took a bit of chasing, she did eventually agree to go out with me."

They were married on August 1, 1964, in Darlington, where they both grew up.

Mrs Woolley, who is now 75, was a school teacher and Malcolm, 74, a plant fitter until the 1980s, when he joined the ambulance service and they moved to North Yorkshire.