An Island couple celebrated reaching the half century mark by spending the day with family and friends.

Tony and Daphne Merritt were married on March 21, 1959, at St Henry and St Elizabeth Church, Sheerness, and after a honeymoon in London moved to Swindon, Wiltshire.

Mr Merritt, 72, said the secret to a successful marriage was “always having the last word”.

He added: “And that is 'yes dear’”.

The couple met while Mrs Merritt, 71, was working in a novelty shop in Sheerness, they both lived in Minster.

They “courted” for 18 months before they were engaged and were married 18 months later.

Mr Merritt served in the Royal Air Force and his work took him and his wife to Germany, Wales and the port of Aden in Yemen.

He retired in 1994 and the couple settled in St George’s Avenue, Sheerness.

Mrs Merritt said her marriage has been based on a lot of give and take although there have been a few “terrific rows”.

She said: “If anything upset me I used to pack my bags. After about the 100th time they started packing themselves.

“I think Tony first came into the novelty shop because he fancied me. We made a date and went for a long walk from Minster to Sheerness, even though I had high heels on.

“We were courting for 18 months before we got engaged. After we were married we had a brief honeymoon in London and had to go straight to Wiltshire because my husband was in the RAF.”

The couple have two daughters, two grandchildren and two step grandchildren.

They spent their golden anniversary on Saturday with family and friends at home before going for dinner at the Royal Hotel in Sheerness.

Mrs Merritt said: “It was a fantastic day, absolutely lovely, and it all went really well.”