A COUPLE are today celebrating their Diamond Wedding Anniversary - after spending weeks fighting for their lives side-by-side in hospital after contracting Covid-19.

Pauline and George Forder, both 85, said the thought of making it to their milestone 60th wedding anniversary had helped them get through the illness.

The couple caught coronavirus after joining their daughter's family for Christmas dinner, which coronavirus restrictions allowed.

Daughter Christine Hurford said: "They came around our house for Christmas dinner. We didn't know we all had it so we were all ill and they ended up in hospital.

"Strangely enough Mum was in one room and Dad was in another and then they were were wheeled in together so that they could be side-by-side in the same room.

"I didn't think they would be here today so to be able to celebrate their 60th anniversary is incredible.

"My mum even said knowing that they had their Diamond Wedding Anniversary coming up was something that helped her get through it. She thought, 'I have to get through this so we can both get to our anniversary."

Pauline and George spent five weeks at Dorchester County Hospital and Christine said they were so ill she did not know if she would ever see them again.

However the couple both recovered and Christine, 56, said that her parents are doing very well and are now 90 per cent back to full health again.

She said: "The emotion there as they were leaving the hospital with staff wheeling them down the corridor and everyone clapping was incredible.

"One of the young nurses there said that it was only their second clap that they had done working on the Covid ward because it was so rare for people to leave after being that ill."

Christine praised the care given to her parents from hospital staff.

She said: "Seeing them brought back home it was just so overwhelming. Everyone there was so wonderful, all of them and they were really sweet.

"It is so hard when you can't visit and know what's going on, but the care that they got was incredible."

Pauline and George met in Manchester when George was working as a prison officer. The couple got married in 1961 and have been going strong ever since.

Christine said: "They have an amazing relationship, they have been there for each other all their lives. They are definitely soul mates."

Pauline and George live in Weymouth and brought up three children together, their daughter Christine, and two sons, Michael and Steven.