LOVE, care and appreciation for the other’s talents is the secret behind a Dorchester couple celebrating 50 years together.

Eve and Hugh ‘Bing’ Crosby, of Rothesay Road, were married on April 21, 1962.

The pair, originally from Surrey, had been friends for years and were part of a big group of friends that used to hang out playing tennis and watching cricket.

Mrs Crosby said: “We were all good friends for years. Then he decided I was the one for him.”

The pair started to spend more time together and Mr Crosby went on holiday with the future Mrs Crosby and her family to Cornwall.

Mrs Crosby said: “We went to St Ives and he saw a ring in a shop. He said ‘I want to marry you, do you want that ring?’” The couple went out on a boat trip and Mr Crosby gave her the ring.

They were married and spent two weeks on honeymoon in Scotland during a heat wave, touring round in a Morris Minor.

Mr Crosby was in the Navy and they moved to Yeovil where they stayed for 10 years and had a daughter Lara and son Nigel, otherwise known as Bing.

In 1972 they moved to Weymouth where both children went to school.

They moved briefly to Hampshire before coming to Dorchester 19 years ago.

The couple said they liked to do lots of activities together but also had their own interests.

Mrs Crosby said: “He has always looked after me and my family.”

Mr Crosby said that his wife was an amazing seamstress and cook and it was important to appreciate each other’s talents.