THEY say absence makes the heart grow fonder and that is certainly true for a Sidmouth couple who have just celebrated their Diamond wedding anniversary. David and Margaret Griffin have been married for 60 blissful years but for the first two-and-a-half t

THEY say absence makes the heart grow fonder and that is certainly true for a Sidmouth couple who have just celebrated their Diamond wedding anniversary.

David and Margaret Griffin have been married for 60 blissful years but for the first two-and-a-half they did not even see each other.

Margaret, 78, explains: "We met in Guildford at a New Year's Eve dance. We got engaged in the May and married in July. My husband was in the Royal Navy so we got married on the Saturday and the following Friday he went to the Far East for two-and-a-half-years! The wives couldn't follow in those days."

The couple, who love travelling, moved to Sidmouth 17 years ago and prior to this they spent many holidays in the town where they always stayed at the Victoria Hotel.

So it was apt that David and Margaret, who have three daughters, seven grandchildren and a great grandchild, celebrated their Diamond anniversary with family members at the Victoria on Saturday evening.

An extra surprise on their actual anniversary, July 2, was a card from the Queen which the couple's family had only applied for two days prior to the special day.

Margaret added: "My daughter, Barbara, didn't realise you needed to give two weeks notice so she rang the palace press office and the lady she spoke to said 'I'll do my best for you' and sure enough she did!"

The celebrations continued throughout the weekend and before David and Margaret's family travelled back home a beautiful anniversary cake was unveiled.

Margaret said: "It was absolutely wonderful-we couldn't have asked for anything more.