FIFTY years ago Leon and Ercil Mings married in Barbados and made the hardest decision of their life to leave their children behind while they sought a better life in England.

The couple, whose children include Chippenham Town Football Club coach Adie, have lived in Chippenham for 40 years.

They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary surrounded by their family at the New Testament Church of God in Lowden.

But nearly half a century ago they had to make a great sacrifice before their family could be reunited in Chippenham.

The Mings married in St Lucy, Barbados in 1953 and had two sons and two daughters.

In 1958 Mr Mings, now 74, decided to travel to England to get a job and create a better quality of life for his family.

He arrived in London and then went to live in Bath and find work. He began working at Westinghouse and remained there for more than 30 years.

"I was made redundant when Margaret Thatcher came to power and I worked at different places after that," said Mr Mings.

In 1961 Mr Mings sent for his wife to join him and she had to make the most difficult decision of her life.

"It was worth it coming here. But the hardest thing was leaving the children. We left them with our parents," said Mrs Mings, 69.

"We had to come to England to earn money. The government would not let you take children out of the country until you had a house."

The Mings both worked in England until they had enough money to buy a house for their family.

"I worked in Westinghouse for a short time but it was very hard," said Mrs Mings. "I was travelling from Bath early in the morning and coming back late at night. I then got a job at the Royal United Hospital until we moved to Chippenham."

Once they had a house secured in Chippenham they were finally reunited, in 1963, with their four children.

They now live in Saxon Street with Adie (Adrian), their fifth son, their only child to be born in England.

"It was obviously difficult growing up. Mum and dad were working a lot and it was left to my brothers and sisters to bring me up," said 34-year-old Adie.

"But my parents have been very good role models.

"It has been a struggle at times but they have made me the person I am today."

And he was very proud to escort his mother down the aisle at their anniversary blessing.

"It was really good and there were more than 150 friends and family. I see their anniversary as a massive achievement especially in this day and age.

"Hopefully I can last 50 years when I get married," he said.

Mrs Mings said the success of their marriage was supported by their commitment to God and to one another.

"Marriage is about love and commitment. When over 50 years have passed and you are still in love that is really something," she said.

Mrs Mings said the anniversary ceremony was very special and they had renewed their vows and been blessed.

They also sang the national anthem of Barbados at the beginning of the ceremony. The family still keep their ties with their home country and visit Barbados for holidays. "It is a beautiful place to be," said Adie.

"I have been back the most and I was the only one not born there. It is like home from home for me.

"It has really moved on in the last 20 years. When I first went there in 1974 when I was five my parents had to take food with us. They just didn't sell things in those days."

But the Mings family have made a stable home in Chippenham over the last 40 years and are well known in the community. "Half of Chippenham knows me and I know the other half," said Mr Mings senior.

He and his wife have four other sons Victor, Roosevelt, Mondel and Orley, 13 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Mr Mings has two other children, Linda and Pauline, who have five children and two grandchildren between them.