A smitten couple who were born and bred in Ipswich have been celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary.
Rex Chittock, 87, and his wife Margaret, 79, recently marked 60 years together.
The pair met in the town through their respective lines of work.
“They met when my dad worked for Prentice Aircraft on Felixstowe Road,” said Debbie Cooper, their daughter.
“My mum worked in Newstead’s Bakery and my dad would go down there every morning and get the cakes for the boys at work,” said Mrs Cooper.
“They were both Ipswich born and bred.”
The couple were married in 1959 at St Augustine’s Church in Ipswich and went on to have four children.
Mr Chittock remained working at Prentice Aircraft for a number of years before moving on to Dickson of Ipswich, a producer of reproduction furniture.
These days he spends his time watching Ipswich Town, of which he has been a lifelong fan.
Mrs Chittock stopped working to raise her family but once they had grown up she went back to Newstead’s before it closed down.
“She started and finished her work in Newstead’s,” said Mrs Cooper.
As well as their own children the couple now have nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren who they help to look after.
“Mum has always helped us with our children so we could carry on with our careers,” said Mrs Cooper.
To mark their long marriage a surprise party was held for the couple in Playford with 70 people attending to celebrate the milestone.
“My dad is a member of the California Club,” said Mrs Cooper, “and he is fundraising for a defibrillator.
“So instead of receiving presents we asked people to donate money for the project. We got quite a lot.”
Mrs Cooper said that the differences between her mum and dad helped them work together.
“Mum’s the organised one, she gives all the instructions and dad takes them,” said Mrs Cooper.
Asked how she would describe her parent’s relationship Mrs Cooper said: “It’s a very peaceful marriage. They just help each other out. When dad can’t do something mum will try and help him and vice versa.
“They work as a team.”
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