THOMAS Hynd was so determined to win his future wife’s heart he told a white lie to guarantee he would get into the dancing at The Ritz in Irvine almost 70 years ago.

So Thomas, who was late from his mining job, told the doorman at the Irvine dance hall that he was with the band to make sure he would see Isabella.

That was their first dance date and seven years later they were married at Kilmarnock’s King Street Church on September 22 1961.

Moving to Irvine, they had two daughters, Elizabeth and Angela – Angela went on to become assistant coach for the Scottish National Football Team and now lives in Virginia.

But this close family keep in touch everyday with their daughters and grandchildren, Ainsley and Keir.

“Our family is everything to us, they bring us so much joy,” smiled Isabella.

And Thomas could have the secret to a happy marriage – two birthday cards.

“One year it was buy one, get one free so I sent two, it’s been that way ever since” explained Thomas.