A chance dance led to six decades of fine romance

Diamond duo Sam and Roberta "Bertha" Hunter are set to clink glasses before more than 50 guests at The Steading at Fairmilehead next Saturday – with one of the original wedding party travelling more than 3,000 miles to attend the bash.

Mrs Hunter's chief bridesmaid is making the lengthy journey from Canada to join the celebrations.

The couple met at a dance on Hanover Street in 1948 and socialised together for more than a year before sparks began to fly.

Sam, then 21, belonged to a tight-knit trio of pals and Bertha Aitken, three years his junior, was accepted into the fold for regular jaunts to the cinema and to Tynecastle to see their beloved Hearts.

Hailing from Grove Street, Bertha came from a family of eight. She says of Canongate-born Sam: "I thought he could have been royalty."

After a 12-month friendship, the pair began courting and soon after, at a dance at Oddfellows on Forrest Road, Sam plucked up the courage to propose.

Within a year the pair got hitched, enjoying a 2 June wedding before a 150-strong congregation at the now defunct St Bride's Parish Church in Haymarket.

On return from a romantic honeymoon in Blackpool, the newlyweds moved into their marital home in Dalry and remained in the area until moving into sheltered housing in Oxgangs Road North in recent years.

In 1953, a year after the birth of first child Sandra, 27-year-old Sam was conscripted as a naval chef and he toured the Mediterranean.

Two years later he was demobbed from National Service and completed an electrical engineering apprenticeship, only to continue his military service as an electrician for the Ministry of Defence,

maintaining three barracks: Penicuik, Redford and Dreghorn. Bertha was employed for spells as a shorthand typist and waitress in the city, but says her most enjoyable job was a brief stint as a disc jockey at Murrayfield Ice Rink.

Their second child Alistair was born in 1958.

In retirement, the duo have cruised the seas, and travelled to Australia and Canada. They now have more time and love to spoil their five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Bertha offers sage advice for any young couple: "I would say look after each other, don't keep any secrets, discuss everything together, share and share alike – even down to a bit of chocolate when sitting in front of the TV at night.

"Overall, make the most of the time you have together."