Twenty-five couples have celebrated golden, sapphire and silver wedding anniversaries in a reception laid on by the Hotel Phoenicia, with which they all had an association.

The couples, all from the United Kingdom, were treated to several celebratory glasses of champagne in the 5-star hotel's Club Bar and the ladies were each presented with a red rose.

Former race-horse owners Mr and Mrs Almond, both 75, grandparents-of-four, said: "We've been very happy coming here for many years and decided that we would celebrate our golden wedding anniversary here. We've fallen in love with Malta. We can't really explain what it is we love. The country and this hotel in particular just has this pull which draws us in each year. We also love to spend whole days walking around Valletta. It never grows old.

Mr and Mrs Boud from Pontefract, West Yorkshire, celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary. "We wanted to go somewhere special, and we chose Malta, and I must say that we are very glad that we did. This is a lovely evening. We are here for two weeks and I'm sure we will be back," he said.

One couple who had their first date at Hotel Phoenicia on October 21, 1951, Norman and Barbara Fosh, popped in to enjoy a romantic dinner to celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary, 60 years of marriage, having tied the knot on September 4, 1954.

Mr Fosh was in the Royal Navy at the time, while his future wife Barbara was stationed in Malta as part of the WRNS. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by staying at the hotel in 2004.

Hotel Phoenicia General Manager Charles Azzopardi said, "We are delighted that so many of our guests have reached this wonderful moment in their lives and decided to share it with us."