An Ottery St Mary couple celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on Monday, August 9 at the Kings Manor Care Home where they are both residents.

Tony Madden, 94, and his 93-year-old wife Dorrie were joined by family and friends for a party.

Their platinum anniversary comes in the same year as the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The couple were married at St Anthony’s Roman Catholic church in the town in 1952 – and a few months before their wedding they had travelled to London by train to watch the Queen’s coronation procession.

Dorrie was born in Ottery St Mary, one of six children, and has lived there all her life. For nearly 40 years she worked as secretary at The King’s School, and her room at King’s Manor looks out on to her former place of employment.

Tony was born in the Canary Isles to an Irish father and Spanish mother, and moved to Ottery as a boy. He was one of 10 children. After National Service with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, he worked for around 40 years as a draughtsman at Ottermill Switchgear and was also for many years an Inspector in the Special Constabulary.

They met in Ottery at an evening class.

Dorrie and Tony were keen travellers, driving all over Europe in their camping van, which Tony had converted himself. They also enjoyed a globe-trotting retirement, travelling to visit their son Paul, a former Ambassador to Japan, and his wife Sarah, on diplomatic postings in Japan, Australia, Singapore and America. They helped promote the friendship agreement between Ottery and the village of Otari in the Japanese Alps.

Paul, who studied at The King's School and Cambridge, said: “Seventy years is an incredible length of time. Mum and Dad are lucky to have enjoyed such a long and happy marriage. They created a very welcoming home in Ottery, to which I was always very happy to return from my travels.”

Clare Tidball, hospitality services manager at Kings Manor Care Home, said: “We were delighted to host such an amazing celebration for Dorrie, Tony and their friends and family. Our wonderful chef made them a lovely cake and we provided finger sandwiches and macaroons as a slight alternative to afternoon team. We presented the happy couple with some amazing flowers, from Dilly's in Ottery St Mary, and of course a bottle of bubbly.

“This is the third special anniversary we have hosted recently; we have had two Diamond celebrations too. It is our absolute pleasure to help those who live with us make sure these important dates do not pass by without making it special.”