Devoted great grandparents who met as teenagers are enjoying a series of celebrations to mark their diamond wedding anniversary.

Joan and Charles Tippetts have been out for tea at the Ritz, had a party with friends and family and are looking forward to a cruise around the Mediterranean to celebrate 60 years of happy marriage.

The New Malden couple met at the old Empire Theatre in Kingston, where Charles was working at the time, and married two years later at Christ Church in New Malden.

The pair, who were born and brought up in the borough, spent more than 25 years working together, as a school caretaker and a cleaner at St Pauls primary school in Kingston.

Mrs Tippetts said: "It think the secret to a long and happy marriage is to give and take and we have always worked together. You just work things out together."

The couple, who both retired 15 years ago, said they now enjoy spending time with their four children, 14 grandchildren and four great grand children.

Mrs Tippetts said the highlight of the celebrations was seeing her daughter who lives in France and granddaughter who lives in Switzerland for the first time in six years.

She said: "It was so nice to have them all together.

"We really appreciate all that the children have done for us and had a wonderful time."

The 80-year-old who was a pupil at New Malden West School, now named Kings Oak Primary School, said her grandchildren also organised the surprise afternoon tea on their anniversary, on Thursday, February 23.

She said: "On the actual day we had a card from the queen and we had a surprise. We went to the Ritz for tea. That was quite a surprise from our grandchildren who organised it.

"It’s been a lovely time. It was a lovely party and a nice surprise ending up at the Ritz."