Ref. 25757-11GOLDEN COUPLE Stanley, 82, and Edith Watson, 75, are celebrating 50 years of marriage.

Originally from Scotland, the pair met at church in Aberdeen.

They tied the knot at King's College Chapel part of the University of Aberdeen on July 22, 1953, and have never looked back.

They say the secret to a long marriage is the ability to have a good laugh. You are lost without humour.

"You have to be able to have a laugh now and again", said Mrs Watson.

Stanley said: "We always sit down and discuss things. We haven't had a lot of arguments. We always try to discuss and agree before we act."

He left school at 18 to join the civil service.

In 1941 he left to join the RAF and became a Lancaster bomber pilot, flying many wartime missions.

After the war he resumed his career with the civil service.

The couple left Scotland in 1963 and moved to Wokingham in Berkshire. A decade later they moved to Swindon. While working for the civil service, Stanley was responsible for bringing the Science and Engineering Research Council from London to Swindon.

Edith was a teacher and became headteacher of Mountford Manor Primary school, which was then an infant and primary school.

They have a son, Richard, 45, a daughter, Gillian, 48, and three grandchildren. There was a meal and get-together with friends and family on yesterday's anniversary.