DUNTERTON residents Arthur and Sylvia Vigars celebrated 50 years of wedded bliss on February 22. Sylvia, 74, was born in Milton Abbot, and her first job on leaving school was as a junior clerk with the Tavistock Gazette, then as a clerk at the hospital. She moved the five miles to Dunterton and Woodtown, where Arthur farmed, when they married. 'In those days if you married you stayed at home and did wifely things. It's been a lovely life and we have been very fortunate and happy,' she said. Arthur, 78, continued the family tradition by farming all his working life and said they had been very fortunate where they lived and had 'no regrets'. They had been introduced at Goose Fair by Russell Woolcock, who became the best man at their wedding in Milton Abbot Church. During their married life they have both been heavily involved with community groups and life. Arthur was a founding member of the Milton Abbot Players, who celebrate their 60th anniversary this year, and is still involved with them. He was captain of the bell tower for many years and still is church warden at Dunterton Church. Arthur is also a parish councillor, was a special constable for more than 25 years, and played table tennis when the village had a club. He has also provided a bench mark to beat at the village show with his vegetables, repeatedly winning the cup in that section. Sylvia also acted with the Milton Abbot Players, now providing the prompt, and has been a keen member of the WI, church and Friends of Tavistock Hospital. She still helps out with the Friends and the WRVS. The couple's two daughters, Susan and Melanie, with sons-in-law Bob and Gary and four grandchildren Tom, Kate, James and Jack joined them to celebrate the occasion at the Two Bridges Hotel on the Sunday. On the actual day the couple went to the Lewtrenchard Manor with their best man and their matron of honour for a smaller celebration. Sylvia said it had been 'a very interesting, exciting and very happy 50 years of constancy and companionship'. 'Love of course is very important, but with love must come respect. With those two things you'll weather anything,' she said.