A Weymouth couple have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary at the place they first met.

Rosemary and Malcolm Spicer planned an evening of celebrations at Castle Cove Sailing Club in Weymouth where they first set eyes upon each other.

They hosted around 70 guests at the venue in a folk song and sea shanty supper evening, with a performance from local musicians ‘The Leftovers.’

The couple, both born in 1940, didn’t want any presents and instead asked for donations to Weldmar Hospice Care.

Mrs Spicer said: “It was a really happy occasion for all of us, whilst benefitting a really worthy local charity.

“My brother-in-law was looked after there and actually worked there and I had a close friend looked after there.”

Mr Spicer said: “It was a very good evening, everybody thoroughly enjoyed themselves and it all went very well.”

The husband-and-wife duo met at the sailing club on Old Castle Road, Weymouth, in 1957 where Rosemary used to sail with her brother when the couple were just teens, and they are still members to this day.

Mrs Spicer said: “We first sailed dinghies before moving on to keel boats, we have owned our present keelboat called ‘Pieces of Eight’ since 1974 and took our sons from a young age on cruises in her on many Channel crossings then later we took our Grandchildren.

“We mostly sail more locally now since the pandemic interrupted our adventures.”

When asked what the secret to 60 years of marriage was, Mrs Spicer said: “I would not dream of giving any advice – we enjoy being together and share the same interests.”

The pair got engaged when they were 19 and later married in 1962 when they were 21.

The celebrations also saw some of the guests picked on as ‘guest items’ as a humorous touch to make people laugh as well as some dressing up in order to celebrate 60 years of marriage.

Mrs Spicer added: “Two Castle Cove Club members each read a poem, one member played his guitar and sang, and a group of four members performed an item set to music to the amusement of all.”

The couple are still tallying the amount raised from the evening for Weldmar.