A COUPLE who asked for donations instead of gifts when they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary have presented a cheque for �670 to Help for Heroes.

Ray and Myra Briston of Elm celebrated their big day with a party in Emneth Central Hall for family and friends. Guests included the couple’s two bridesmaids and best man.

It was love at first sight for Ray and Myra when they met at a dance in Wisbech. Mr Briston, 77, said: “I had been going to the dance for about three weeks and I said to my pal ‘I’m going to get myself a nice young lady tonight’ I asked her if she wanted to dance and that was it and the other chap met someone and we are all still together.”

The couple were together for almost four years before they tied the knot at St Leonard’s Church, Leverington - the village where Myra’s family lived. A reception for the happy couple was held in the Parish Hall.

They lived in Friday Bridge in a bungalow on a farm where Mr Briston was employed for the whole of his working life. He was also in the RAF from 1952-56 and spent two years at Suez.

The couple, who have two sons, Andrew and Christopher, moved to Elm seven years ago. They love being in their bungalow in All Saints Close and joining in the social activities at The Dale, the nearby sheltered housing scheme.

However, The Dale is to close shortly and Mrs Briston, 74, said: “We have made some lovely friends there and we are going to miss them and the social side of things very much.”

The couple held their cheque presentation in the lounge at The Dale where they were visited by Corporal Graham Barnes and Corporal Andrew Walker from the 39 Engineers Regiment and Daryle Bullingham, chairman of Wisbech Royal Air Force Association.