A MINEHEAD couple whose Christian faith has been at the heart of their relationship celebrated 70 years of marriage this week.

Tom Ball met his wife Dorothy when he came to speak at her Sunday School class in London, where she had lived since moving from High Wycombe as a child.

They married at St Paul's, Upper Holloway, in September 1939 - on the day before the outbreak of World War Two.

Tom, who comes from a Somerset family, was a conscientious objector and spent the war years as a stoker on merchant ships where he was not involved in any active fighting.

The couple, who have no children, worked throughout their lives, at first in various grocery stores but eventually owning their own business in East Moseley.

But when the growth of supermarkets began to have an impact, they sold up and moved to Cobham.

Tom got a job in civil aviation, organising flight timetables, while Dorothy worked as a supervisor in a telephone exchange.

When her mother died in the early 1970s, they decided to move to Minehead.

Tom has been a lifelong lay preacher and he and Dorothy were very active within the Millbridge Evangelical Church in the town until ill health and old age began to take their toll.

They celebrated their platinum anniversary with church friends at their home, where Dorothy put the secret of their long and happy marriage down to a strong faith, leading a 'good' life and eating and sleeping well.

Photo: Steve Guscott