A DORCHESTER couple are celebrating a special anniversary today.

Wynn and Ray Voss are set to mark their Diamond wedding anniversary with friends and family.

The couple were married at St George’s Church in Fordington by the Reverend Gilbert Jessop in 1955 and have lived in the county town ever since.

Mrs Voss, 79, recalled how people told her the relationship ‘wouldn’t last’ because the pair were so young.

She said: “I was only 17 when I got engaged and 19 when I was married. There were people who said it wouldn’t last but they’re not around any more.”

She added: “I wanted to get married on New Year’s Day because it seemed like a good way to start the year. It was a bitterly cold winter and there was no heating inside the church in those days.”

The childhood sweethearts knew each other as youngsters and have fond memories of summer holidays spent at West Bay as children. Mr Voss, now 80, moved away from the area but the pair kept in touch. He undertook national service with the RAF for two years from 1955, leaving his young bride in Dorchester.

He followed his father by joining the Royal British Legion in 1957 and has been chairman of the Dorchester branch for 30 years.

Mrs Voss worked at Gould’s before leaving to look after the couple’s four children.

She later worked at Adam’s Children’s Wear for 16 years before retiring.

The couple have nine grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Mrs Voss said: “Our youngest great-grandchild was born in October and we haven’t seen him yet, but the family are coming to visit so we are really looking forward to meeting him.”

In their 60 years of marriage the pair have seen the county town change tremendously.

Mrs Voss said: “When we first married we lived in a flat in Fordington and later moved to Mill Street. There was no electricity, everything ran on gas.”

They believe not giving up after an argument is the key to their long marriage.

Mrs Voss said: “Everyone argues. You can’t say you never have a cross word to say to each other but you can’t give up. We always say we don’t have arguments, we have differences of opinion. But I always win.”

She added that the couple are now looking forward to seeing their family for their anniversary celebrations.