A MELKSHAM couple have celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary while on holiday in Tenerife this month with members of their family.

Howard and Barbara Davis married on Saturday, October 14 at All Saints Church at West Lavington where her father Fred Nutland wound up the clock twice a day for over 50 years.

The couple spent their honeymoon night in a Chichester motel before moving on to Blackpool for a few days.

While there, they went to see Barbara’s godmother Beatrice Glass and her husband Leon, who had been unable to get to the wedding.

The couple made their first home in Chippenham before moving to Rowde four years later, staying there for the next ten years.

They then moved into Devizes for the next 30 years, where Howard worked as a HGV driver at the Trebor factory and Barbara as a cashier at the Northgate and Roundaway service stations.

She went on to take over the Northgate service station as her own business. Following that, she ran a B&B in Eastleigh Road, Devizes.

Howard, 76, retired 11 years ago after working at Chippenham Hospital, and Barbara, 70, retired five years ago.

Mr and Mrs Davis were both members of Devizes Football Club and of the town’s Conservative Club in the early years.

Barbara said: “We do everything together. It has been a good marriage.

“We always watch out for each other and family has been the most important thing in our lives.

“My husband has always been a real hard worker and after he left Trebor went to Continental Tyres in Swindon.

“He often left home at 5am, getting back home at 7pm, with some nights working away.”

The couple have one son, Justin, who became a junior member of the Devizes Bowls Club at the age of 12.

The couple joined him as members at the Club for ten years. They are now members of the Holt Bowls Club.

They moved to Melksham three years ago to be near their son and his wife, Shelley, and their grandchildren, Sophie, Freddie, Amy and Daniel.

They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Tenerife on Saturday, October 14 with Justin, Shelley, Sophie and Freddie.

The two older grandchildren were unable to attend due to work commitments.