APRIL Fool’s Day is traditionally a day that’s filled with lighthearted pranks, but for one couple, the special date is as precious as a diamond.

Ian and Gloria Browning will celebrate their wedding anniversary in style on April 1, after being married for 60 years.

To mark the occasion, the perfect pair treated each other to special gifts that included a new watch for Ian and stunning diamond pendant hanging on a long gold chain for Gloria.

The sweet couple first met when 14-year-old Gloria was working in the local milk bar on Bourbong St and for 16-year-old Ian, it was love at first sight.

“Ian used to come from his mother’s place around the corner to see me when I was working in the milk bar,” Gloria said.

“He kept asking me out and then the other staff members I worked with started saying ‘go on, go out with him’, so I did and we’ve been together ever since.”

After going to the pictures at the Paramount Theatre in Bundaberg for their very first date, the rest as they say is history and the pair got married three years later in 1960.

“Ian finished work at 4pm that day and we got married at 7pm,” Gloria said.

“The Minister got caught up and he was actually the last person to arrive at the wedding.

“But I wasn’t nervous … I’m never nervous.”

As years went by, the couple travelled around Queensland for work and went on to have three children, Lisa, David and their oldest, Robert, who sadly passed away in his 30s.

Twenty years ago, the family relocated to the place their love story first begun and moved into a retirement village in Bundaberg.

While years have gone by, the twinkle that sparkles in their eyes when they talk about each other, has remained.

The pair will celebrate their special anniversary by having lunch at the clubhouse with their family and closest friends.

“Our chef here is a great cook and she makes a really nice lamb shank,” Gloria said.

“I get to pick the menu for our anniversary, so we’re have lamb shanks and she’s baking a cake too.”

The loved-up duo said the secrets to their successful marriage was to maintain their independence, while also enjoying activities together, having a sense of humour and lots of patience.

“We’ve always really just loved life and if we ever wanted to do something, we did it,” Ian said.

“Just like everyone else does, we’ve had arguments but we’ve been together for 63 years, married for 60 and it just proves that this is something special.”

Gloria recently celebrated turning 77 and Ian is looking forward to his next birthday, when he will be 80.