Marriages help to support people through ill health and times of financial hardship, a survey has discovered.

Research carried out by the University of British Columbia found that during times of illness, having a 'second earner' in the household helps to financially support the 'main earner' during times of crisis.

Additionally, the strength of a partnership is shown to increase with time, making a relationship even more effective. Relationships in which the main wage earner enjoys good health are more likely to be stable and successful, compared to couples who are blighted by ill health.

However, men who suffer illnesses early in life are likely to not marry at all, or have unsuccessful commitments.

It is not just the relationship that can last forever, wedding rings can too. A man in Wales found a wedding ring while searching fields with a metal detector, which had been lost 68 years earlier, Wales Online has reported.