A devoted couple would have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary, right down to the minute, outside the Ashwell church they were married in had 21st century traffic not thrown a spanner in the works.

Robert and Pearl Williams were hitched at 12 noon on the dot on February 18, 1950, and the couple returned to the village’s historic St Mary’s Church to mark their anniversary on Wednesday last week.

The sun shone as Robert and Pearl, who was clutching a red and white bouquet, walked arm-in-arm retracing the steps they first took as a married couple all those years ago...

Speaking about their life together Pearl, 86, said: “We just thank God for it.

“We have been exceptionally fortunate and we are very, very thankful.”

The couple met when they were 16, when lorry driver’s mate Robert moved to Ashwell from Southampton for work.

They got engaged at 18 and then married when they were 21.

After living in the village for several years, they headed south to Stevenage where they worked in shops until they retired.

Pearl and Robert – who now live in Southend Close – have two children, Joan and Paul, as well as five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

On Sunday 25 members of their family gathered to attend a buffet lunch celebration in honour of the landmark date – a 65th wedding, half way between a diamond and a platinum anniversary, is officially marked with a blue sapphire.

Pearl said: “It was lovely, the family don’t get together very often and everyone was well behaved.

“We have been very fortunate, having fallen in love we stayed in love.

“We never took each other for granted.

“We are sweethearts and we feel that this has been the basis for our happiness over the years.”

Granddaughter Lisa-Marie Mills told the Comet: “Despite my best efforts to get them there by 12 noon, I got stuck in traffic and didn’t!

“We were at the church for around 12.20pm so I guess that wasn’t too bad.

“The weather was glorious and nan and grandad had a lovely walk down memory lane in their church.

“They really are the loveliest old couple you could ever meet and they are still very much in love.

“Nan still talks about her wedding on most visits!”