A DEVOTED couple celebrated an amazing 65 years of married life with 40 friends and family to mark their landmark anniversary.

Leonard and Pamela Edwards, from Rochford, celebrated their blue sapphire wedding anniversary on July 1 after a happy six decades of marriage.

The couple met while ballroom dancing in 1947 in east London and got married three years later.

Leonard, of Lever Lane, Rochford, said: “We are as happy as most people are. We have had our ups and downs, but nothing serious.”

The couple enjoymany activities together, including bingo, reading, crosswords, going for walks and also having special fish and chip days.

Leonard, 87, bought Pamela, 85, a sapphire necklace and sapphire earrings to mark the extra special occasion.

The couple have six children and now have six grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Leonard said: “We lived in east London for a while, but my wife was an Essex girl from Ilford, so we eventually decided to come back here.

“We lived in Forest Gate for 50 years and then shortly after I retired we decided to move to Rochford.”

Mr Edwards was a painter and decorator for 20 years and then fancied a changed of profession and worked in a dairy for 25 years before retiring.

Speaking of their decision to marry, Pamela said: “He didn’t really propose, we just decided to get married. The wedding was lovely and went really well.

“We were surrounded by family and friends “We have had a very happy 65 years, I am quite content and there is nothing I would change.”

Pamela was a shop assistant, starting at Woolworths and then moving on to Co-op.

She took time out of work to raise their children and stayed home to look after them but is now content to stay at home with her husband.

The couple have a very large family who they enjoy spending time with, especially their grandchildren and great grandchildren.