A HAPPY Weymouth couple who are 'each other's right and left arm' are celebrating as they mark their Diamond Wedding Anniversary today.

John Young, 87, met his wife Jeanette, 83, in a regency ballroom in Bath, Somerset, before marrying in the city's Weston All Saints Church on March 2, 1963 and are marking 60 years of marriage. 

The dance hall in Bath was where all of the top bands played, including Acker Bilk and Kenny Ball, and during their courtship they enjoyed attending other dances and taking day trips to the coast in Mr Young's Austin A35.

At their time of meeting, Mr Young worked for engineering company Hortsmann and Mrs Young was employed in the Bath registrar office.

Following their marriage, the couple moved into a new house in Corsham, Wiltshire, where Mr Young started his long career with the Ministry of Defence, and where their children Caroline and Heather were born.

Due to Mr Young gaining a promotion, the family moved to Portsmouth in Hampshire for two years, before making their first move to Weymouth in 1971, to Oakbury Drive.

They quickly became involved in St Andrew's Church where Mr Young became one of the church organists and his wife got involved in the local girl guiding movement, setting up a new brownie pack in 1978.

Due to more work commitments the family moved to Bath for 18 months before returning to back to Weymouth, this time in Littlemoor Road, where they resumed their involvement within the community and church and have lived for 51 years. 

Mr Young was a keen piano player and was the pianist for the local Preston Pantomime Group, where Mrs Young also joined as a singer and dancer.

Mrs Young also became a working member of St Andrew's and St Francis churches, starting a lunch club at the latter where she fed 120 parishioners, and also took on the role of church warden from 1997 to 1999.

Mr Young, meanwhile, continued to play the church organ at all services including wedding and funerals and was heavily involved in the finance and planning of St Francis Church, where he stayed as treasurer.

His wife also took on the role of dinner lady at nearby St Andrew's School.

Mr Young took early retirement due to ill health and his wife also gave up work to care for him.

"They are a devoted couple who have continued to support each other through life and their total devotion to their two children, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren," said daughter Heather.

"They were very community minded; if somebody needed someone then they were there.

"They are just so together, like each other's right and left arm, and are always there for each other.

"Dad has had cancer twice so mum nursed him through that, really."

Heather, from Foxglove Way in Weymouth, added: "They moved here [to Weymouth] because of work and if you were promoted in those days they told you where you moved.

"But they found so many friends here that they just stayed. And why wouldn't you want to live in Weymouth?"