TWO sisters who were married in a double wedding in Bungay have celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.Born Margaret and Peggy Seaman, the sisters married Ronald Whiteland and Maurice Reeve respectively on April 4 1959 at St Mary's Church.

TWO sisters who were married in a double wedding in Bungay have celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.

Born Margaret and Peggy Seaman, the sisters married Ronald Whiteland and Maurice Reeve respectively on April 4 1959 at St Mary's Church.

The double wedding came about because Peggy wanted to get married to Maurice, but being the younger of the two sisters she was told by her mother that she had to wait until Margaret was married.

“She said 'you've got to let your sister get married first,'” said Peggy. “But I was headstrong and said 'no, I'm not going to wait.' So my mum suggested a double wedding.”

Maurice had met Peggy in 1957 when he came back from serving with the RAF in Iraq, and it only took him two weeks to propose.

However Ronald and Margaret had been seeing each other for over six years and agreed to the suggestion of a double wedding.

Ronald, 76, and Margaret, 72, now live in Duke Street, Bungay, where they have lived for 42 years. Maurice, 75, and Penny, 70, live in Hervey Street in Lowestoft, where they have lived for 25 years.

With Margaret and Penny being sisters and Ronald and Maurice old friends who grew up together in Bungay, the couples meet up frequently and are very close.

They celebrated with a get-together at Penny's niece's home in Worlingham on April 4, before going for a meal for both families at Carlton Manor in Lowestoft. They then held another party on the Sunday at the Reeve's home in Lowestoft.

Ronald and Margaret have two daughters, two granddaughters and one grandson. Maurice and Penny have one son, one daughter, and four grandsons.