LOCAL couple, Maurice and Mary Glover celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversary on October 28 with family at the Salutation Inn, Topsham.

The couple met at a dance in Morchard Bishop when they were just 18 years of age.

Their first date was to a scramble meeting at Smallbrooke to which they travelled in an Austin 10.

Maurice was born in North Tawton and Mary was born in Morchard Bishop and they have lived in the area all their lives.

Maurice and Mary both attended Chulmleigh School. Maurice left school at the age of 15 in 1954 and worked at Ambrosia in Lapford.

He went on to do carpentry with Harry Hutchings.

He was very sporty and played cricket for Ambrosia and football for Lapford AFC, Winkleigh and Dolton.

Maurice signed up for National Service with the Devon and Dorsets and started training in May 1960 at Topsham Barracks, flying out to Cyprus in September that year. He came home in 1961.

After National Service Maurice briefly returned to Ambrosia before going to work for Keith Bedford and then Trevor Burrows, building the Waie Inn, before going self-employed, working with Ian Sandercock and John Stoyle building many houses and bungalows in the Mid Devon area.

From the ages of 10 to 15 years Maurice delivered milk with Bill Manning to Morchard and Lapford. He also worked for Bill Lyndon a calf dealer, building sheds for the calves.

Mary left school at the age of 15, in 1954 and worked for J Wippell and Co Ltd sewing ecclesiastical church embroidery. She used to catch the bus from Morchard Bishop to Exeter to get to work. She also worked for Jennifer Knapp making dresses and coats and for Vicky Mills at Gilhouse sewing oven gloves.

Other jobs included potato picking and tilling, turkey plucking, cleaning houses and the shop at Zeal Monachorum.

Their wedding took place at Morchard Bishop on October 28, 1961.

The reception was held in Morchard Bishop Memorial Hall where they did all the catering themselves.

The honeymoon destination was Torquay where they spent two days.

Their first home, as a married couple, was 1 High Cott, Zeal Monachorum which they eventually sold and moved into a caravan while they build their new home, Fairview at Zeal Monachorum.

They later sold Fairview and moved into another caravan and a large wooden shed while they built Torview, Zeal Monachorum where they lived for 28 years.

Maurice then built another bungalow, this time at Morchard Bishop where he did all the building work himself in the evenings and at weekends.

In 1996 Maurice built their last bungalow at Copplestone, where they are still living now.

Maurice and Mary have two daughters, Dawn and Denise and three grandchildren, Daniel, Lydia and Lucie and they fostered four children.

The couple are well-travelled and have visited Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Israel on cruises from Cyprus.

Maurice and Mary were delighted to receive a card from Her Majesty The Queen congratulating them on their Diamond Anniversary.