The former landlords of Falmouth’s Clipperway Inn pulled more than pints when they met years earlier.

Now Bill and Rosie Ward are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary this Saturday, 50 years after their marriage at Penwerris Church.

They first met when Bill was working at Pickles Bakery and Rosie was a telephonist at the General Post Office.

Bill went on to work as a postman, an insurance agent for Pearl and then manager of Shades nightclub, before finally becoming landlord of the Clipperway Inn in Mongleath Road. Rosie worked at Watson Marlow on the switchboard before joining her husband to run the Clipperway, where they were in charge for more than 20 years.

Bill is known in the area for his sporting prowess, playing senior football as half-back for Falmouth Docks in the mid 1960s before being persuaded to join the newly-formed Falmouth GPO when they joined the Falmouth-Helston League, due to his job as a postman.

The team proved successful and in 1967-68 Bill captained GPO to a Percy Stephens Cup final win against Mullion, the first of many trophies won by the club.

Several years later he returned to play for Falmouth Docks, but also turned out for Mawnan and Mylor as well as several Sunday League clubs.

He is now a keen darts player, plus golfer with Falmouth Golf Club, where he also works the occasional evening behind the bar.

The couple, who live in Carrick Road, will celebrate with friends and family at a party at the golf club.

Among them will be their son Neil, who lives in Italy and will return for the occasion. The couple also have a son Antony and two grandchildren.

The gathering is likely to bring back memories for Bill and Rosie of their wedding at Penwerris Church followed by a reception at The Anchor Hotel in Penryn – since replaced by flats – where a similar family gathering was held.