A COUPLE who wrote letters to each other every day while separated by thousands of miles are celebrating their Diamond Wedding on Thursday.

John and Dorothy Western from Figheldean met in Poole while John was on a night out with friends and then a week later he was posted to Egypt with the Royal Scots Regiment.

But they stayed in close contact and after being reunited two years later they got married in Talbot Village, Bournemouth.

Originally from Devon, Mr Western moved to Wiltshire after becoming an army estate warden at Larkhill and Wilton.

Mrs Western, 82, grew up in Bournemouth and said from the moment she met her future husband she knew he was the one, adding that the secret to 60 years of marriage was love.

Mr Western, 86, said: "I was in the army at Bovington Camp and was having a few drinks with friends as young soldiers do and we saw these girls walking along the road. I said to my friends, 'the one in the middle is mine'.

"Keeping together through everything is the secret I think and a happy family."

The couple who have a son, two great-grandchildren and five grandchildren lost their daughter to breast cancer four years ago and decided to raise money for the Stars Appeal Breast Cancer Unit Campaign by forfeiting anniversary presents.

"We had a big party on Saturday at the village hall organised by our family," Mr Western said. "And instead of having presents which we don't need at our age we gave the money to the hospital.

"The nurses in Salisbury were excellent, we couldn't have asked for better treatment for our daughter."

The couple gave £500 to the Stars Apeal. Over the years they have raised £5,000 for Salisbury District Hospital and Salisbury Hospice by organising a Christmas Bingo at Figheldean Village Hall.

The Breast Cancer Unit Campaign hit its target of £750,000 last month with building work on the new unit to start in October.

An ongoing fund has been set up to fund furture enhancements, equipment and support services for patients.