Diamond couple Ray and Marie Pope are as happy together today as they were when they married 60 years ago.

When they married at Stanton St Bernard in 1953 the couple had a bungalow built in Alton Barnes called Raymar, where they still live.

Mr Pope, 83, said: “We first got to know each other in about 1950 when I played football for Honeystreet and she would come and watch the matches in all weathers.

“She was a good dancer and taught me to dance. We went to Marlborough Town Hall dances every Saturday for three years.”

Mrs Pope, 80, said: “He said to me ‘shall we get married and can you live on four pounds a week?’ I said ‘course I can’ and we did.”

“The wedding day was very hot, it was a lovely day. My mum made the three-tier wedding cake and then we headed off to Swanage for our honeymoon.

“He’s the kindest-hearted man, there’s not another one like him.”

For 53 years the pair ran a newsagents, delivering the Gazette and Herald to about 12 villages, and a taxi business.

Mr Pope said: “We didn’t have time to fight.

“We’ve had a very busy life working seven days a week but a very happy one. She’s a very hardworking wife, unbelievable really because she does everything for me.”

Mr and Mrs Pope have two daughters and five grandchildren and to celebrate their anniversary the family organised a surprise meal at the Hourglass in Devizes.

Mrs Pope said: “I thought that was nice because I usually cook for all the family on a Sunday. When we got into the Hour Glass there was 19 of all our lovely family.”