'I love her to bits' – elderly couple get engaged in care home

An engagement is usually something that happens earlier in life, but one couple have sealed the deal in their later years - and they couldn't be happier.

Pamela Walters, 85, from Coventry, and Colin Hopper, 73, from Blaengarw, Bridgend, met while living in the same care home.

After a year of laughter, companionship, and daily visits, the pair got engaged on 28 January with the help of staff at Picton Court Care Home, near Porthcawl, Bridgend county.

In a sweet twist, Pamela originally proposed to Colin in her bedroom, before he asked a member of staff to order an engagement ring, saying he "thought the world of her" and "loved her to bits".

Colin and Pamela have known each other for four years, and according to Colin, it was love at first sight.

"I told her I loved her, and that was it," he said.

The ex-miner loves Pamela's honesty, saying: "She's very straight, and that's what I like - people who don't tell lies."

"We talk about anything - anything that comes our way.

"I wind her up a bit I do," he added with a smile. "I like to cheer her up, to help her have a cheerful day."

Similarly, widow Pamela, who ran a pub for 31 years, said she found Colin "interesting" from the moment they met.

"I love everything about him," she said, describing him as "kind".

Pamela said Colin makes her "feel happy" and visits her every day.

One day, Pamela called Colin into her room.

"I said, 'What's the matter, Pam? Have I done something wrong?'" Colin recalled.

"She said no and asked me to sit down."

Unable to get out of his wheelchair, Colin sat beside her watching the telly.

That's when Pamela popped the big question: "Will you engage me?", to which Colin replied, "Yeah, of course I will."

He then asked a member of staff to order an engagement ring, which arrived from Amazon within two days.

Pamela said she has felt "marvellous" since getting engaged.

"My ring is lovely," she added.

With the help of the staff at their "beautiful" care home, the couple celebrated their engagement with a party.

Pamela said: "They [the staff] did the room for us. They did it all.

"It was beautiful. It really was. We had a lovely, lovely day."

The new companionship has brought joy not just to Colin and Pamela, but also to the staff.

Shajitha Augustine, manager of Picton Care Home, said Colin has a "very loud and bubbly" personality, while Pamela is "very determined".

"I've been working in this industry nearly 28 years, so when I heard that I was quite shocked, but to be honest I'm really happy," she said.

"People think at a care home, it's the end of the journey, but this is an opportunity for people to find new friendship, new hobbies, companionship."

Shajitha said they had a "fantastic, very private" party on the day of the engagement - a day she will "never forget".

Pamela's daughter, Susan Salvatore-Davies, is also pleased by the news, because her mother now has a companion during a time that can often feel lonely.

"When [Pamela] first came here, she didn't know anybody and she relied on me all the time," Susan said.

"So to know that she's safe and looked after in every way possible, even more now, it does take the pressure off."

But Wedding bells are not on the cards just yet, with Pamela saying for now they're enjoying each others' company.