Couple ties knot at hospital after decades together

A couple has decided to get married at a hospital in Surrey after more than 25 years together.

Margaret Green, 78, and Tony Howard, 82, tied the knot in the Albury Ward at Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford.

The couple decided to get married after Mr Howard ended up in hospital as he broke his leg and was initially deemed unfit to operate on due to his age and the fact he had cardiac and respiratory problems.

Ms Green said: "Tony and I have been together for 28 years and we've often discussed getting married but not got round to it, but this made us realise that we should do it."

The couple, who met when they both lived in Elstead in the 1970s, were surrounded by five of their six children as they got married.

For the wedding, Mr Howard was moved to a private room which was decorated by staff who organised tea and sandwiches for the couple and their family.

A special licence allowed the wedding to go ahead in the hospital with help from Surrey registry office staff.

Ms Green, who used to work at the hospital, said: "Our whole experience at Royal Surrey has been fantastic. The staff have been amazing, very caring and kind.

"We feel extremely lucky to have this as our local hospital and it's been a special place to get married in."

Ms Green's first husband died of lymphoma in 1996 and Mr Howard's first wife died of breast cancer two weeks later.

United by grief and friendship, the pair moved in together in 1997 and have been together ever since.

Ms Green was a research biochemist and worked in histopathology at the Royal Surrey County Hospital before starting a research department in the trust's pathology unit.

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