John and Marjorie Spencer were married on August 7, 1948, at Driffield Parish Church just days after Mr Spencer's 24th birthday.

Mrs Spencer, who was 18 at the time, said one of the lasting memories of the wedding day was when the vicar told them their relationship would not last because they were too young. Sixty years later and aged 84 and 78, the Driffield couple are still going strong.

Mrs Spencer said: "You have to let your partner go their own way and meet in the middle. We make life as cheerful as possible and have a lot of activities. We've never thought too much about it but it just happens that the vicar was wrong."

The couple met at Driffield Town Hall and courted for around a year before the wedding. Mrs Spencer said she was first struck by her husband-to-be's tall, dark and handsome appearance.

They recall that at the time of their wedding, shortly after the Second World War, consumer goods were not widely available and they were delighted when they found some furniture for the living room.

Mrs Spencer, who was born in Driffield and held one job at a bank in Bridlington, said: "After the war life was quite hard and you could not buy furniture.

"We saw a three-piece suite when we were travelling on a bus in Hull and that was really something, there was nothing much to buy. We got off the bus, put a deposit on it and got it back to Driffield somehow."

Over the years Mr Spencer, who worked at Richardson's for 40 years and retired as sales manager for the car department, has lived with his wife at Spellowgate, York Road, and at their current address on Spencer's Way.

He has two elder sisters, to whom he is very close, living in his native Lancashire. Mrs Spencer, who was a Guider for the Girl Guides for 20 years, had a brother and a sister.

Mr Spencer was a keen sportsman who was involved with Driffield Golf Club and also played tennis, badminton and bowls.

Mrs Spencer's hobbies are more artistic and she has been involved with Driffield Operatic Society, Driffield Art Club and is a keen painter and gardener.

The couple, who are now both involved with Driffield Stroke Club, have two daughters, Jill and Philippa, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.