A COUPLE celebrated 50 years of marriage in style with a surprise party. Ray and Barbara Goddard, of Leete Place, Royston, were married at the then Royston Congregational Chapel in Kneesworth Street on August 9, 1958. Ray, a former Grenadier Guard, and Ba

A COUPLE celebrated 50 years of marriage in style with a surprise party.

Ray and Barbara Goddard, of Leete Place, Royston, were married at the then Royston Congregational Chapel in Kneesworth Street on August 9, 1958.

Ray, a former Grenadier Guard, and Barbara, who used to be a shorthand typist, first met at a jazz evening, at the Old Bull Hotel in Royston.

And on Saturday they returned to the Old Bull for their golden wedding anniversary party.

More than 50 guests attended, including a Brownie guard of honour, a drummer and a former Grenadier Guard playing the trumpet.

Barbara, 71, said: "I could not believe the number of people who turned up.

"It was so wonderful to have all my family there.

"I would like to thank the Bull hotel for all the effort that they went to."

The party, which took four months to organise, was planned by Barbara's son Mark and his wife Stephanie.

And the secret of a good marriage? Barbara said: "Tolerance is important. We both have our own ways of doing things so you have to be prepared to give and take from the very start.