Teenage sweethearts Titch and Rosemary Fowler of Devizes have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

The couple met at Bishops Cannings Youth Club when Mrs Fowler (nee Pearce) was 16 and Mr Fowler was an 18-year-old apprentice jockey at Colonel Vallance’s racing stables in Bishops Cannings.

Mrs Fowler was born in Devizes and brought up in Bishops Cannings while Mr Fowler is originally from Kirby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.

They married at St Mary’s Church, Bishops Cannings, on December 14, 1963, when Mrs Fowler was 17 and a half.

After they married they lived in Chandlers Lane followed by West End in Bishops Cannings. Mrs Fowler worked in a shoe shop owned by the Co-op in The Brittox.

During his apprenticeship Mr Fowler, whose real name is Ivan but who is called Titch due to being 5ft 2 inches tall, rode a horse called Caper to victory when he was 16 in a race at Newbury and had a number of second and third places on a horse called Gay Cobbler.

He left racing for five years and had a variety of jobs including at Chiver’s building yard in Devizes before he returned to Colonel Vallance’s yard.

He moved to Beckhampton to work at the stables of Jeremy Tree followed by Roger Charlton. Mr Fowler had to stop riding at the age of 40 due to injuries caused by bad falls and he drove horseboxes until he retired.

He and his wife lived at Beckhampton from 1968 to 2003 when they moved to their present home in St James Gardens, Devizes, and where Mr Fowler is chairman of the resident’s committee.

Mrs Fowler, 67, said of their life together: “The years have flown by. We have always got on so well, it’s been great. Titch is like my soulmate.”

Mr Fowler, 70, said: “I’m exceptionally easy going and I wouldn’t have picked anyone else to be with than Rose, she’s great.”

The couple have three children, Kevin, Helen and Catherine, and two grandchildren, Jude and Seren. They were joined by 35 family members and friends for a celebration meal at The Crown in Bishops Cannings, which is where they had their wedding reception.