GALASHIELS couple Tom and Ella Grieve have celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary.

The pair met at a dance in Peebles after Gala man Tom returned to the Borders at the end of World War II having seen active service with the 12th Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).

And one Saturday night Tom spotted Ella Irving across the crowded dance floor and summoned up the courage to ask for a dance.

Ella – who was born in Hawick but moved to Peebles as a baby – said: “I was working on the buses and still had my clippie's uniform on when I went to that dance. Tom mistook it for an army uniform and we started to chat and I remember us jiving to In the Mood by Glenn Miller."

The pair married at St Marks Church in 1948 and moved into an attic in Balmoral Avenue, then to another house on the same road before moving to Hill Street in 1972.

Tom returned to the mill where he worked as a loom tuner before getting a job at the Scottish College of Textiles in Galashiels, teaching students about the looms

The couple had three daughters – Maureen, Janice and Carol. Maureen sadly died of cancer when she was 42.

They have five grandchildren – Callum, Rory, Catriona, Lindsay and Fiona – and 11 great grandchildren – Ross, Flynn, Farryn, Kai, Rhya, Roxy, Bella, Dekker, Lachlyn, Ella and Cameron.

Tom retired aged 65. He bowled with the Waverley Bowling Club and remains a big Gala Rugby supporter.

He was made an honorary member of the Gala Rugby 1875 Club and also likes watching and having a "wee flutter" on the horses.

The pair continued to visit family across the world into their 80s and landed in New Jersey just two days before the events of 9/11 took place.

Tom and Ella, who both turned 100 last year, recently moved from the Garden View care home in Tweedbank to the Galashiels Nursing Home in Kirk Brae, the same street that Tom was brought up in.

On Monday (January 30 2023) the family organised a party and Tom had a double reason to celebrate as his beloved Gala had beaten table-topping Kelso at the weekend and he wore his maroon jersey for the celebrations.

So what’s their secret for a long and happy marriage?

Tom said: “It’s all about give and take. We can be arguing one minute and blethering the next. And the family have been great, and they have all done well for themselves. That’s what life is all about.”

Ella said: “We’ve had a good marriage but like everyone there’s been ups and downs. But we’ve no regrets and we would do it all again.”