Golden celebration (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Golden celebration

HALF a century after meeting at a ball, a west Wiltshire couple are still happily married.

Michael and Anne Browne, of Huntingdon Place, Bradford on Avon, were this week celebrating their 1955 wedding and looking back at their life together. More than 50 friends and family joined them at Bradford Rugby Club in Winsley on Saturday to mark the special occasion.

The couple, who are both 75, met at a tennis club ball in Kendal, Lake District, in 1954, and have not been apart since.

Mrs Browne said: "I guess you could say it was love at first sight we were engaged 10 days later. I used to be a Brownie leader and a Sunday school leader, and at our wedding in Kendal the children formed a line for me and Michael to walk through."

Mr Browne was born in Bristol and was a builder and carpenter, while Mrs Browne was born in Kendal and worked as a salaries clerk.

After reaching their milestone, Mrs Browne said the secret to their success was their religious grounding.

"We've got a good relationship like everyone we've had our ups and downs but we're both Christians and that keeps us together."

The couple have four children, and Mr Browne said he is enjoying the relationship as much as ever.

"Our relationship gets better every day. We're still very young at heart. This golden wedding could be the start of something good.