A Mill End couple celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary in the community where they have spent their entire married life.

William and Sylvia Westbury will mark 60 years of marriage on Thursday (August 7). Last Saturday (August 3) the couple held a party for more than 50 friends and family in Rickmansworth.

The celebration - organised by their children Stephen, Robert and Sally - featured pictures of the happy couple on their wedding day.

Guests were also treated to a fish and chip supper, dancing and a free bar all evening.

Reflecting on the celebration the couple agreed it was more lavish than their wedding day.

Sylvia said: "I had to prepare a salad for 100 people the night before, I had to do all the flowers and because there was still rationing on I had to give the grocer almost a year’s notice so he could give me a slice for everybody who was there."

William, 86, and Sylvia, 81, were introduced at a dance in St. Augustine's Hall, Rickmansworth on July 13, 1948 - shortly after south Wales-born William completed his national service and moved to south west Hertfordshire to find work.

Their courtship lasted five years before they married, at St Mary’s Church in Rickmansworth, they still live in the same home in Maxwell Close that they moved into two weeks after marrying.

Sylvia said: "When we were courting we used to go out dancing every week in a group of eight, if there wasn’t a dance on we held a card evening.

"The next thing we did was we got a tandem, that’s how we did our courtship.

"My dad wouldn’t let me buy a bike so William bought a tandem.

"We used that all through our courtship and even after we were married."

William added: "We have always been frugal, we have never been smokers or pub-goers and cycling everywhere really helped us.

"We sold it 20 years ago, I paid 18 guineas for it but we got a lot more."

The couple say mutual trust has been key to their happiness, even to the point where William unknowingly signed the contract to buy the house they currently live in and raised three children in.

William said: "One day I came home from work and Sylvie told me to sign a form, I asked what it was for and she said "it doesn’t matter what it’s for".

"That turned out to be to buy our house; but that was the trust we had, it has always been like that and it still is today."

William added: "I am such a lucky, lucky man."