Sparks were flying at a local care home when two residents celebrated a very special milestone.

Pamela, aged 91 and her husband Kenneth Blundell, aged 93, toasted their 69th wedding anniversary at Care UK's Rossetti House, on Welshmill Lane, where Pamela lives.

The couple were both born in Plymouth and met as teenagers at St Gabriel's Church where for Kenneth: "It was love at first sight". Pamela was sceptical but, was soon won over after Kenneth showcased his chivalry on their first date, where they rode bikes across Dartmoor and he helped her carry her bike over obstacles.

The couple married on 31st July 1954 at the same church they met in as teenagers with 120 guests. Together, Kenneth and Pamela have three children, Mark, Gareth and Elizabeth, and have eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

The family are very close and enjoy spending time together. One of the couple's favourite memories is when they entered a BBC quiz show 'Ask the Family,' where they were runners up in the final.

When asked what the secret is to a long marriage Kenneth said: "During a marriage, there are many ups and downs, but never stop loving and maintaining respect and remembering you are both equal in the relationship. Always remember that your partner is a gift to you, so keep the promises you made to each other. My advice to young couples would be to value humour and forgiveness in relationships."

To toast the special milestone, the couple enjoyed private dining at the home and the Head Chef cooked a special meal.

Phil Vale, General Manager at Rossetti House, said: "We regularly celebrate big anniversaries and understand the importance of maintaining relationships and marking life's wonderful milestones. We were delighted to be a part of such a special moment for Kenneth and Pamela and provide them with a lovely celebration while reflecting on 69 happy years of marriage.

"Marking such a special occasion at the home, allowed many of the residents to reminisce and share fond memories of their own wedding days, which was a joy to hear. Happy anniversary, Kenneth and Pamela!"

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Rossetti House incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The building has been designed to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.

For more information on Rossetti House, please call Home Admissions Advisor, Helen Cross on 01373 887988, email [email protected] or visit: careuk.com/rossetti-house

Care UK is one of the largest providers of residential care for older people. As a well-established organisation with over 40 years of experience in caring for older people, we are proud to run more than 150 homes offering both residential and nursing care.

For two years running, Care UK has won more major care sector awards than any other large care home provider. We also have more outstanding rated homes than any other organisation. Those are just some of the reasons why we're trusted by more than 8,000 families.

Our care homes provide an impressive range of services for older people, ranging from short stay respite care to nursing care, end of life care, plus specialist care and support for people living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

We are proud to be building so many modern, luxurious and comfortable new care homes - we have opened 54 new homes since 2013 and expect to open at least 13 more before the end of 2025 in locations including Haywards Heath, Shrewsbury and Cardiff.

For more information about Care UK, visit careuk.com