If diamonds are forever Vincent and Daphne Maguire are still sparkling 60 years after they said "I do".

The happy couple cracked open the bubbly to celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary in the lounge of Felbridge Court retirement flats in Feltham, surrounded by family and friends.

Mrs Maguire, who is 79, said: "We had a lot of champagne, lots of beautiful bouquets of flowers and a lovely patio pot with a plaque.

"Fortunately we didn't get a lot of ornaments - we got things we do not have to dust."

Born and bred in the borough, Mrs Maguire met her Irish husband through his father, who lodged with her family in Chiswick after leaving Dublin for London to find work during the Second World War. On tying the knot in 1947, the new Mrs Maguire became part of a big family - her husband, now 84, was one of eight siblings who moved to England.

The Maguires had two sons Terry and Gregory, now both in their 50s with families of their own, and have lived in Hounslow all their lives.

From Bedford Park they bought their own place in Hounslow in about 1965 and then moved into Felbridge Court when it opened in 1989, where they are "very happy".

Their elder son Terry and his wife Beryl now live near Milton Keynes but Gregory and his wife Judith emigrated to America 22 years ago when their daughter Polly was one-year-old. Living in Boston, they have a son Thomas, who is 16, and Polly and her partner Charlie had a son Gabriel just before Christmas.

From Gregory's family they received a paper weight diamond and more lovely flowers to mark the landmark anniversary.

Mrs Maguire said: "Unfortunately we don't see an awful lot of them because of they live so far away but we speak a lot on the phone. We are a very close family."

The event had a sad edge because of the recent deaths of Mr and Mrs Maguire's sisters and Mr Maguire's own bad health, which stems from a motor bike accident in 1971.

But the couple still managed to celebrate in style in the lounge at Felbridge Court with about 20 special guests. Mr and Mrs Maguire have had their "ups and downs" during their 60 years together but have kept their sense of humour throughout, a key ingredient to the success of their marriage.

Mrs Maguire said: "If you really care for each other that's the main thing - and give and take always helps."