EUNICE and Ernie Smale celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on September 30, and gathered with family and friends at Lower Sessland Farm, the home of their youngest daughter, Clara, and her husband, Rodney, to share the happiness of a lifetime of love and devotion.

Sixty years ago the happy couple married at the now demolished East Street Methodist Church in Okehampton and held their reception at their then home, Higher Upcott Farm.

Ernie remembers how they caught the mid-afternoon train from Okehampton Station to London Waterloo for their honeymoon in West Wycombe, a journey that took more than six hours. The train was crowded so there was standing room only until the kindly guard, on discovering the couple were on their honeymoon, escorted them to seats in the first class carriage.

A super surprise then and 60 years later another surprise as best man Charles Smale and his wife, Monique, unexpectedly arrived from Paris to join the celebrations.

Also joining the celebrations to complete the wedding party were bridesmaids Ruth Trenaman and Daphne Packer.

Surrounded by cards, including one from the Queen, photographs and flowers, happy memories were shared and celebrations completed with a sumptuous Devonshire cream tea.