The family with a 68 year love affair with North Norfolk

Thomisina Mansbridge, 88 and from Hamilton, has returned to the riverside village of Horning.

She travelled down with her daughter, Anne Francis Mansbridge, as she continues her long link with the region.

The link began with her late husband Thomas Mansbridge, who had a fascination with the area ever since reading books about adventures on the Norfolk Broads by Arthur Ransome.

The couple married in 1956 and honeymooned in Horning.

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Thomas and Thomisina on their wedding day September 14 1956 (Image: Anne Francis Mansbridge) The couple returned every year, until Thomas passed away in 2004.

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Thomisina and dog Dilly in 1963 (Image: Anne Francis Mansbridge)Anne said: "They fell in love with each other and then Norfolk. 

"It all started in the late 1930s when my dad was a little boy, reading the Big Six and other books by Arthur Ransome. 

"When I was little, he would tell me bedtime stories about North Norfolk and Horning, often inserting himself and his friends in as characters. 

"In 1956 my mum and dad married and went on honeymoon to Horning and they came back every year together. 

"I was born in 1965 and my first trip here was when I was six months old, my parents were coming twice a year.

Anne and her mum by the river (Image: Anne Francis Mansbridge)

"My dad died of cancer in 2004, and when he was told he had five months to live, his last wish was to come to Norfolk again. 

"It was so emotional because we knew he wouldn't be back, we brought him down when he was very ill.

"We scattered his ashes in Norfolk.

"Since then me and my mum and our dog Skye have come up regularly.  

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Anne, her mum and Toots in 2004 when they came to spread her father's ashes (Image: Anne Francis Mansbridge)Anne with her mum and dad and Toots the dog in 1995 (Image: Anne Francis Mansbridge)

The couple frequented the New Inn pub in the village and had friends in the village. 

The New Inn pub at Horning (Image: Anne Francis Mansbridge) Mr Mansbridge was a keen painter and held exhibitions to raise money for the RNLI . 

Often his work featured North Norfolk landscapes.

Anne, her mum and dog Skye (Image: Anne Francis Mansbridge) Thomisina said she intends to come back to North Norfolk again.