Ref. 73168-30A COUPLE who eloped to Gretna Green to get married have raised £425 for the Great Western Hospital by asking for cash donation instead of wedding presents.

Samuel and Eileen Kinchin, both 70 of Cricklade, surprised their family and friends by getting married in secret in Scotland.

And then they surprised them again by asking for donations to the Great Western Hospital instead of wedding gifts.

Eileen said: "We got married in Gretna Green in June because we just didn't want any fuss.

"But we held a wedding reception in the Cricklade Country club on October 17 for our family and friends.

"They were surprised when we got married at Gretna but on the other hand they were not surprised because they know it's the sort of person I am."

The couple met through Samuel's sister then got to know each other better two-and-a-half years ago when they both became involved in finding her a new home.

Both were widowed with children Eileen has a daughter, Lesley, 42 and two grandchildren, James, 17 and Chantal, 15; Samuel has a son Michael, 38 who runs his own business.

And having both been patients at the GWH they decided that sacrificing wedding presents was the best way to say thank you.

"We have both been in-patients at the hospital and we are both very grateful to the staff there," said Eileen. "Samuel suffers from diabetes and we have both had cataracts the treatment we received there was excellent.

"I'm really pleased by the amount of money that has been donated.

"I expected us to raise about £300 but people have been really generous.

"We really didn't need any wedding presents because we both have homes and I would have had to buy a new cabinet to store them all in anyway."

Diana Milne