ST ANDREW'S Church at Buckland Monachorum was the venue for a wedding blessing on Saturday which has been the focus of one family's matrimonial occasions for more than 70 years.

Richard Pool and Kerry Brooke had their wedding blessed by the Rev Graham Cotter, 29 years after Richard's parents, Ian Pool and Katerina Smith, were married at St Andrew's by the same vicar.

It was, in fact, the very first wedding that the Rev Cotter carried out at the church — he did a blessing for the couple when they renewed their wedding vows on their 25th anniversary.

Katerina's parents, Richard Smith and Rachel Northam, were also married at St Andrew's in 1963 and so too were Rachel's parents Cecil Northam and Barbara Kellaway in 1932.

Cecil, who lived in Buckland, was reputed to have been the best bellringer in the land and has his name on a plaque up in the belfry, reminding those who follow.

Nowadays at a family wedding the bagpipes also play, with Ian Pool doing the honours at his son's wedding, determined to introduce a little of his native Scotland to the proceedings.

Mr Pool, who now lives in Shropshire, said the family always return to St Andrew's for important family occasions and to visit the graves of Cecil and Barbara.

Mr Pool said:?'Many of my wife's family still live in Buckland and Tavistock but my side of the family are dotted about all over the place.

'We do not get many chances to all get together so this was a great opportunity to see everyone and Rev Cotter again. Hopefully, it meant as much to him as it did to us.'