Meeting in Chatham before moving to Lowestoft and travelling the world, the love remains strong for Sheila and Peter Little on their diamond anniversary.

Sheila Little, 79, was born and brought up in Pembrokeshire, Wales, where her father was a fisherman. He later moved the family to Rochester working at Chatham Dockyard with the Admiralty as a skipper of a tug, where Sheila met her husband Peter, 83, who had left Manchester to join the Navy on national service.

Mrs Little said: "I went to the Chatham dockyard in 1958, and met Peter who was in the navy on a ship - it all went from there.

"We were together for about 18 months before we were married, but I was brought up in Pembrokeshire because my dad went fishing there and met my mum.

"Peter came out of the navy when we came to Lowestoft to see my dad's family, and he went back to his old job as a boilermaker. He did that for four months short of 25 years."

Mr Little then became a caretaker at the Lowestoft police station for another 15 years ago.

During their marriage Mrs Little worked at the Lowestoft exchange as a telephonist for 14 years, before moving on to the post office counter for 23 years.

Mrs Little said: "I loved my job. We live in Pakefield now and we've never been happier, we love Lowestoft."

The happy couple have two daughters, five grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.

"We are still young at heart," Mrs Little said. "We've done a lot of travelling. Once we have gone to New Zealand to see our grandson next summer we will have gone around the world. We've done 30-odd American states, we've been all over Thailand, and Russia, and all sorts."

The couple have been integral parts of the community as 'friends of Lowestoft hospital', helping with the carnival, fundraising, and sweet trolley in the wards.

"We have so many happy memories, we do cruise a bit more often now as it's more relaxing now we are getting older," Mrs Little said.

The couple celebrated their sixtieth anniversary on Thursday, September 26 at a small lunch with friends who were celebrating their 55th anniversary.

On Saturday 28, their family came to visit for joint birthday and anniversary celebrations, as Mr Little also celebrated his 83rd birthday.