Ernest Whitehouse, husband of morals campaigner Mary Whitehouse, has died aged 85.

Mr Whitehouse died on Saturday at Abberton Manor Nursing Home, near Colchester, where the couple recently lived.

The couple celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary in March.

Mrs Whitehouse, 90, said: "His patience, love and understanding - they were boundless."

The couple met in Wolverhampton, where Mrs Whitehouse was a teacher, and were married in 1940.

They have three sons and an adopted daughter and lived at Dead Lane, Ardleigh, for many years until ill health meant they needed to go into a home.

Mary Whitehouse made her name in 1964 when she founded the National Viewers' and Listeners' Association to tackle what she thought were falling moral standards on television and radio.

A reserved, quiet man Mr Whitehouse, a coppersmith by trade, gave up work to help the campaign.

Mrs Whitehouse said her husband had been a major supporting influence throughout her public career.

"In the end he died of old age. It was not a particular illness," she added.

Mr Whitehouse's funeral will be held at St Mary the Virgin Church, Dedham, on July 27.

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