A DIAMOND couple celebrated 60 years of marriage with a card from the Queen and surrounded by four generations of family.

Alf and Islay Dowdell, aged 84 and 80 respectively, celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary surrounded by their family.

When they married Harold Macmillan was Prime Minister, the Suez Crisis was raging and the Queen had been on the throne less than five years.

To top off the occasion, the couple, who live on Portland received a card from the Queen to mark the big day.

The couple married at Weymouth register office on January 12 1957 before enjoying a weekend in London for their honeymoon.

They first met at the old Gaumont Theatre in Weymouth where Islay worked as an attendant.

Islay later worked in the navy base on Portland for more than 40 years as a cleaner.

She started working there in 1958 and did so until 1998 when it closed. Alf was in the Merchant Navy until 1959 before he went in to the engineering trade, originally with Amey Roadstone for 20 years, before moving on to work for Portland Plant and Portland Stone.

When they weren’t working, Islay loved her dancing when she was younger whilst Alf enjoyed grass track and speedway.

They also enjoyed holidays with friends and family visiting Islay’s brother in Scotland with who they enjoyed a number of cruises together.

Their daughter, Kim Williams, said that it was a good few days for the whole family.

She said: “It went very well.

"Everybody came together on the Saturday. All the family got together, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

“It was nice to have everyone together.

“My mum was quite overwhelmed and my dad was very thankful.”

The family got some food supplied to make sure it was a special occasion.

As well as sending cards for hundredth birthdays, congratulatory messages are sent on behalf of the Queen to people celebrating 60th wedding anniversaries.

Cards are also sent for 105th birthdays, 65th and 70th wedding anniversaries and every year thereafter.