Former nurses Ray and Molly Buckland celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with friends.

The couple, from George Street, Hove, met while working as nurses at St Richard's Hospital in Chichester.

Molly was 20 and Ray was training as a state-registered nurse.

Ray, 76, grew up in Bognor while Molly, 72, grew up in the West Sussex village of Westbourne.

They tied the knot in the village church in Westbourne on October 25, 1952, and honeymooned in Bournemouth.

They continued to work as nurses and Ray joined the St John Ambulance as a volunteer cadet. He had reached the position of county nursing officer when he retired from the organisation.

On Friday the couple enjoyed a lunch at the Courtlands Hotel in The Drove, Hove, with close friends to celebrate their golden anniversary.

Molly said: "We had a wonderful day with close friends, some of whom we have known for more than 50 years."