A husband and wife have celebrated their wedding anniversary by arranging for up to dozen families, cared for by a Kent hospice, to enjoy steam-powered fun at the Kent & East Sussex Railway.

Terrier Locomotive trustees Hugh and Rebecca Nightingale decided to mark their 10th wedding anniversary by sharing their enthusiasm for the historic railway with youngsters and their families from Demelza House Children’s Hospice.

Mr Nightingale said: “We didn’t see the sense in just exchanging presents that would be meaningless after a while.

“We wanted to give something back after Rebecca’s life-saving open heart surgery at St Thomas’ two years ago and so we came up with this idea to give some less fortunate families a really great day out.”

The group from Demelza travelled on the 10.40am train from Tenterden to Bodiam on the modified disabled coach, Petros, dedicated by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in 1982.

Demelza provides care for more than 450 million children with life-limiting illnesses.

For more information visit www.demelza.org.uk