Family celebrates centuries of married life

Long-lasting weddings seem to be becoming an increasingly rare phenomenon in modern life, so one family surely deserve their share of credit for clocking up 250 years of wedded bliss between them.

David and Ann Mann have just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and in combination with his three brothers and his sister, David's family have collectively been married for a quarter of a century.

Lifelong relationships have become somewhat elusive in recent times and the Manns put their success down to the family surrounding them.

Ann said that the durability in her and her husband's relationship was strengthened by the fact that their relatives all offer them support and advice.

"Having a family support network makes a terrific difference," Ann told the Norwich Evening News.

"We are very close and always used to have big family parties at Christmas. We still hold family parties in the summer."

David and Ann were married on July 7th 1956 at Wendens Ambro, near Saffron Walden, taking their honeymoon in Yarmouth. They have two children and four grandchildren.