A Sidford couple agreed not to make a big fuss of their diamond anniversary, but their son and daughter had other ideas.

Tony and Pamela Pople were having a ‘low key’ family lunch at the Hare and Hounds when Herald photographer Terry Ife showed up.

And that was not all their son Stephen, daughter Kay Hutchings and granddaughter Imogen had in store for them.

“It was an absolutely wonderful surprise and a perfect day,” said Pamela

Stephen and Kay arranged everything remotely from their homes in Staffordshire and Wolverhampton, knowing they were up against their parents’ golden anniversary bash in the Belmont with their Bristolian buddies a decade earlier.

They returned to Tony and Pamela’s Fry’s Lane home, where they were joined by their neighbours for a fireworks display.

The couple met while working at the British Oil and Cake Mills, and married soon after. They came to Devon 40 years ago and celebrated their 60 years together on August 22.