Mr Bushell was going to surprise his wife with a ceremony to celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary, but he didn’t want to get into trouble so decided to reveal his plan.

He also wanted his wife to have the chance to buy a new dress, which they proudly showed to the Mercury.

“I didn’t want to buy a new dress because I can’t wear nice shoes any more,” Mrs Bushell said. “I was in shock when Neville told me his plans but I went shopping and found a lovely dark pink dress and soft pink sequined slippers.”

Mrs Bushell is worried about Sunday – not because she will take her wedding vows again – but because she does not know what the grandchildren have been cooking up. At this stage the Metford couple has been told a golf buggy will be there to drive Mrs Bushell to a hiding place before the ceremony at their grandson’s Branxton property.

“It was my idea to remarry so I made all the plans – a three-tiered wedding cake, a celebrant, a bouquet for Barbara, 60 adult guests and 25 children, catering with a spit roast and salads, plenty of beer, wine and cordial and our granddaughter will recite the poem Daffodils for Barbara,” Mr Bushell said.

Mr Bushell is now his wife’s carer and is on call 24 hours a day.

“We take care of one another now,” he said. “Our health has not been good for the past 10 years.”

Mrs Bushell receives dialysis three times a week while Mr Bushell had a second heart bypass surgery last year.

“We have always been so close. We always worked together running our mixed business,” Mrs Bushell said. “I think the most important thing is we think of one another and help each other.”

Mr Bushell said their happiest times were spent on holidays travelling to places such as Singapore, New Zealand, and their favourite place Tasmania.

They have two sons, two daughters, eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.