JOHN and Lorna Endacott of Spreyton recently celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversary.

They hosted a meal at the Waie Inn, Zeal Monachorum, for family and friends and donations in lieu of presents raised £645 for the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.

They were both born in Spreyton and met when they attended the village primary school at five years of age.

They didn't take much notice of each other at that age and it wasn't until they were both at Secondary school – Lorna at Crediton High School for Girls and John a boarder at Shebbear College, that the friendship started to grow as they exchanged letters.

After John left school he worked at home on the family farm which kept him busy and he only got to see Lorna at weekends. He learned to drive at 17 and often on a Saturday evening they would go to see a film at the Carlton Cinema in Okehampton.

They would also see each other on a Sunday evening when, after church, many young people would gather together in Spreyton to meet up and socialise.

When planning a date for the wedding they had to choose a quiet time in the farming year and so they married on November 28, 1953 at Spreyton Parish Church.

This was followed by a reception in Spreyton Village Hall and, in fact, they were the first to hold a wedding reception in the new village hall.

The most memorable event from the reception was the caterer dropping the wedding cake after they had cut it. Amazingly it rolled but didn't break!

The weather was fairly reasonable on the wedding day although the day before it had poured with rain. They went to a B and B in Torquay for their honeymoon and then to an Uncle's in Dulverton.

They couldn't stay away for more than a week due to the demands on the farm.

They have spent 60 happy years together, both working hard on the farm and bringing up a family.

This has resulted in two children, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren and John is still helping out on the farm.