A DORCHESTER couple who have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this month say the secret to a happy marriage is ‘a bit of give and take’.

Sheila and Derek Fielding have both been living in the county town before they met back in 1955.

Sheila, now 78, worked at Godwin’s china shop and was working on a stall at a corn exchange trade exhibition when she first met Derek, who is now 85.

The pair lived close to one another in Dorchester after Derek, who worked for a gas company, moved from Yorkshire to live in the county.

Mrs Fielding said: “We just said hello to each other and things went from there. After the corn exchange exhibition Derek was waiting to walk me home.

“We were courting for two years before we got married; I married at 18 and I met Derek just before I was 17.”

Sheila and Derek married at St George’s Church in Dorchester and went on to have four children.

After having their family Sheila returned to work at Wilkins the Bakers and finally at the Horse with the Red Umbrella cake shop until she retired.

Mrs Fielding said the secret to a happy marriage was give and take.

She added: “We have had many ups and downs during our time together but we are still together.

“We all have our ups and downs in life but you have to get through them; we have a lovely beautiful family who have looked after us.

“We now have six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.”

Mrs Fielding said she hoped to mark the diamond wedding anniversary, which was on October 29, by holding a family celebration.

She added: “It’s great to be surrounded by our family.

“It doesn’t seem like I am celebrating my 60th anniversary this month, the time has gone so quick.

“It only seems like yesterday that we met.”