A TEDBURN St Mary couple will celebrate their Blue Sapphire Wedding Anniversary on Saturday, March 1.

Derek and Pansy Hill of Silver Haze met while they lived near each other at Butterleigh.

While they grew up together, they did not go to school together.

Derek attended Butterleigh School and Tiverton Boys School which then became Tiverton Secondary Modern.

Pansy went to school at Bradninch and then Cullompton.

They married at St Andrew’s Church, Cullompton on a wet and windy day, much like the weather of late.

Derek and Pansy started married life at Rye Erish Farm, Southleigh and lived there for eight years.

They then moved to East Hillerton Farm, Bow, in March 1968.

There then followed a move to Birchmans Farm, Colebrooke, around the end of 1987.

The couple retired to Tedburn St Mary on July 1, 2016.

Derek had spent about 30 years dairy farming, to start with in a partnership with his sister and brother-in-law, then after leaving the partnership, concentrating on beef and sheep production.

Throughout the years Pansy ran a successful bed and breakfast and evening meal service from their respective homes.

Dancing has been a favourite pastime for both of them over the years and until recently, also, golf and bowls.

Derek has always enjoyed horses, hounds and hunting.

They have two daughters, Jackie and Mandy who are both married and live locally at Okehampton and Drewsteignton.

Derek and Pansy are thrilled that they have five grandchildren, four boys and a girl and five great-grandchildren, all girls.

A family party is to be held to mark their anniversary.

Derek said that they were both pleased to be reaching such a milestone and they were also glad that they are both still in relatively good health and both continue to drive.