A LOVING husband from Cirencester presented his wife with 50 golden roses to celebrate more than 50 years of being in love.

Peter Gearing, 80, also spoiled his wife Diana, 75 with a solitaire ring. The gifts were an upgrade from 40 red roses on their ruby anniversary 10 years ago.

The couple from Cirencester were surprised on the day of their anniversary, October 7, with a gathering of family and friends, including those who attended their wedding 50 years ago.

Diana was just 25 and Peter was 30 when they married in 1967 at Watermoor Church. Together, they have three children - now aged 47, 43, and 38 - and five grandchildren.

Peter, a former agricultural engineer at West Midland Farmers for 30 years, told his wife: “I am always happy to see you. We are happy together.

“That’s why you have to sort out the bunch (girls) before you marry one.”

Diana, who worked in a chemist in Market Place until she married, added: “We enjoy every day together. We talk to each other and look after each other. We are happy.”

The two met on a blind date in October 1961.

Diana recalled: “We met at 7pm one evening and he took me out for a drink and that was it, we have been together ever since.

“Peter was very interesting to talk to. He told me about the army, and he was very very handsome.”

Peter added: “I thought she was a nice little girl, very nice to talk to and very nice to be with. She was kind and considerate.”

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

Peter proposed to Diana after six years together in the living room of the house they had just bought, the house they live in today.

He said: “We both had a house and I thought it’s no use having a house when you have not got a wife.”

Speaking of the highs and lows of their marriage, Diana said: “Family holidays were very good. We always took the children on our caravan holidays.”

The challenges, Peter said, were the long hours mending tractors at work while Diana was always occupied with looking after the children and her parents.

But now, the two are enjoying retirement life together, with Diana doing a lot of knitting and Peter still mending tractors brought in by his grandson.

Diana said: “The good thing about our marriage is we have got three lovely children and they are all very caring and they do such a lot for us. The grandchildren are great too. It is so great to have a family that is loving.”