A couple from Westbury have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary by raising money for the country’s armed forces.

Edward, who is known as Eddy, and Joyce Hall, of Whiteland Rise, married in St Margaret’s Church in Blackwood, Wales, on July 7, 1945.

The couple celebrated with a party, which included a raffle in aid of Help For Heroes, at The Paragon in Haynes Road, Westbury.

Items on offer included handcrafted steel ornaments made by Mr Hall, who has been an engineer all his life, and raised £550 for Britain’s servicemen and women.

Mrs Hall, who is 85, said: “We put on our invites no presents or cards for us just bring your cash for the raffle. I started counting the money when we got home about midnight and we finished it the next day. I’ve never seen so many £10 notes.”

The family have a long association with the armed forces – Mr Hall’s brother Sid was in the air force during the Second World War and father Alfred fought in the First World War.

Mrs Hall’s brother Brynly and father George were in the Royal Artillery and fought in the Second and First World Wars respectively.

The couple’s grandson-in-law, Rob Featherstone, is also in the RAF and is currently stationed in Cyprus.

Mrs Hall said: “We’ve got so much connection with the armed forces. We wanted to do something for our soldiers who you see every day on the TV.”

Mr Hall, 84, agreed. “We’re proud of our servicemen and woman because they protect our country,” he said.

The couple, who have one daughter, Georgina, 63, two granddaughters and two great-grandchildren, met at a dance in Blackwood earlier in 1945.

They have continued to dance throughout their lives despite Mr Hall losing an eye in a welding accident at the Nestle factory in Staverton in 1974. Mr and Mrs Hall even ran free dance classes at The Paragon in Westbury between 1996 and 2003.

Recalling their first meeting, Mrs Hall said: “My friend was with Eddy and we got talking and arranged a date.” Mr Hall added: “I said to my mother when I got home ‘I’ve met the girl I’m going to marry’. My family laughed and I said ‘just wait and see’, and later that year we were married.”

The couple have received a letter from the Queen congratulating them on their anniversary.