A RETIRED county GP and his artist wife celebrated 50 years of wedded bliss in style with a party at the Left Bank.

Dr Peter Carton-Kelly and his wife Stella originally met on a blind date organised by Mrs Carton-Kelly's cousin when he was working at the local hospital in Norwich.

Two years of National Service ensued for the doctor who joined the Navy during the War and the couple then married in Suffolk five years after their first meeting.

Sport has always played a huge part in their lives - Dr Carton-Kelly even proposed as the pair took part in a tennis tournament.

He was also a squash champion and they both played county tennis. Dr Carton-Kelly is still an active member of Ross Golf Club.

The offer of a practice in King Street with Dr Townsend enticed the Carton-Kellys to Herefordshire.

The couple went on to have five children and four grandchildren most of whom attended the party at the Left Bank.

Mrs Carton-Kelly is a member of the Art and Crafts Society as well as the Herefordshire Painting Club after she developed her artistic talent in Norwich and London.

As well as serving the community as a GP, Dr Carton-Kelly also managed Stretton Sugwas hospital for 25 years.

It started out life as an isolation hospital and was later used for patients convalescing after surgery and terminal cases.

After 30 years of living and working in Hereford, Dr Carton-Kelly retired in 1985, and nowadays the couple happily spend their time painting, playing golf and gardening in the peaceful surroundings of How Caple.