Marching bands and wedding bands: Sydenham couple’s 60-year marriage

As the 79-year-olds celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary yesterday (Thursday), it was also a chance to look back on Mr Mawby’s relationship with ‘banding’ that has lasted even longer.

The former Lockheed employee and euphonium player jokes that his wife is a “band widow”, such is his love of the pastime.

He said: “I have been banding for almost 70 years now - it’s a way of life. They say come and play and I go.”