A RINGWOOD couple have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary.

Dr John Doughty and his wife Peggy, of Pelican Mead, marked the milestone on May 21.

The couple say they have been very fortunate to have “a healthy, successful united large family”.

John was born in Margate just six days before his wife in 1930. He says one of the best moves in his and Peggy’s life was to move to Ringwood on his retirement 29 years ago to be nearer their family.

They have four children, 10 grandchildren and four, soon to be five, great grandchildren.

At the time of their wedding in 1955, John says there was a General Election being held.

He recalls his fellow dental students at the wedding reception, wearing white operating gowns and face masks, were covered in Conservative Party election posters in jest as he was a staunch supporter of the Labour Party.

He said their diamond wedding anniversary has provided an electoral coincidence as this was the first time an existing prime minister has increased his majority since Anthony Eden in 1955.

John and Peggy were in the same class at junior school in Margate. But on May 7, 1940, when they were both just 10-years-old they were evacuated.

Peggy went to live with two of her aunts in Nuneaton in Warwickshire.

It was not until 1950, 10 years after they were first separated, that the pair were reunited.

John had returned from National Service in Malaya and began reading Dentistry. Peggy was working in Barclays Bank.

John established dental practices in Whitstable and Herne Bay and retired from Dentistry in 1985 and during his retirement achieved a Ph.D in Government and Politics.

The couple have been celebrating 60 years of marriage with their family.