AN ‘INSPIRATIONAL’ couple from Dorchester are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary.

James (Jim), aged 83, and Brenda Thomson, 78, tied the knot in Abbotsbury on February 27 1960.

The happy couple will celebrate their special milestone this weekend with friends and family - and have been described as an ‘inspirational’ and much-loved couple by family members.

The pair first met in London but moved to Abbotsbury shortly after, according to their son Ken.

Six years after their wedding, when Jim had finished his national service in the army with the Royal Tank Regiment, the couple moved to Charminster, at Broken Cross, which for 20 years was to be the family home for Brenda, Jim and their two sons, Mark and Ken.

Whilst living at Charminster, Jim worked as a bus driver for Bere Regis Coaches and later for the Herrison Hospital bus service. Ken described his father as a popular member of the community, with many people still speaking of him fondly. He also worked for the Eldridge Pope brewery in Dorchester as a dray man.

Meanwhile, also serving the community was Brenda - who served up delicious school dinners as a cook in the Charminster junior school canteen, and later at Integrated Photometrics in Dorchester. She was also kept busy as a devoted mum to the two boys.

After 20 years in the village Brenda and Jim moved across the border to Yeovil, where they lived for 25 years before returning to the county to settle in Dorchester. They now live at Poundbury.

The family has blossomed since Brenda and Jim were wed all those years ago - they are now the proud grandparents of six grandchildren and have one great-granddaughter, Allie May - and another one on the way.

Their son Ken Thomson said: “On behalf of myself and Linda, Mark and Jo and all the family, we would like to wish Brenda and Jim a very happy diamond wedding anniversary and congratulate them on their monumental achievement of reaching 60 years of marriage. They are a truly inspirational couple and loved by the whole family.”