A ROYAL Wootton Bassett couple celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary.

After Colin and Sylvia Harper fell in love married in August 1960 at St Bartholomew's Church by the late Canon David Dicker.

The couple's celebrated 60 years of marriage last month, their celebrations included 'socially distanced' tea and cakes with their friends and family.

And they honeymooned in Brighton having driven there in Colin's father's Morris Minor.

Growing up Sylvia spent her childhood in Wood Street with her aunt and uncle, Mr and Mrs Fred Stratton, at their shoe and drapery shop opposite the Five Bells.

She has fond memories of happy birthday parties with her friends in the shop.

A highlight was the film show organised by Sylvia's father, the proprietor of Mobile Talkie Pictures in the back yard of the shop, as their own cinema for the occasion.

Sylvia and Colin courted for three years before getting engaged, after he had served his National Service in the RAF, at Rudloe Manor, near Bath.

Before this he had completed his apprenticeship as a motor mechanic at Strange's Garage on the High Street.

And later on he worked in car sales at Victoria Garage in Swindon, with ownership and renovation of various classic cars.

After the death of Sylvia's Uncle, the couple became proprietors of Stratton's shop and relocated from Wood Street to a new shop on the High Street.

Their shop stocked drapery, shoes and some household goods and they were active members of the Wootton Bassett Chamber of Trade.

The couple have a son, two daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The girls were keen dancers with the former Maureen Cockram School and Sylvia enjoyed helping make costumes for the shows.

She was later involved as front of house with Wootton Bassett Light Operatic Society.