A Hitchin couple celebrated a major milestone in their married life today (Sunday). Stanley and Audrey Smith, both 92, of Winston Close, Hitchin, joined family and friends for a special party at Hitchin Priory to mark their 70th wedding anniversary. The

A Hitchin couple celebrated a major milestone in their married life today (Sunday).

Stanley and Audrey Smith, both 92, of Winston Close, Hitchin, joined family and friends for a special party at Hitchin Priory to mark their 70th wedding anniversary.

The Queen even sent her congratulations to the couple who have lived in Hitchin since 1970.

Mr Smith, a former manager at Woolworths in Hitchin, where he retired in 1977 after 42 years with the company, recalled the day he first eyes on Audrey.

"It was a Wednesday afternoon in 1936 and I had gone along to the Reading Corn Exchange and I saw her roller skating. She was alone and very attractive," said Mr Smith.

"It was sixpence (two and a half pence in today's money) to get in and another sixpence to hire the skates. We were both on our own so we danced together skating a waltz and our romance went on from there.

"We were married on August 23, 1939, and my brother was my best man and he is due to come along to our party today."

During World War II Mr Smith served in the Army as a wireless technician in the Far East and at one stage drove a 15 hundred weight lorry from Calcutta, India, to Burma riding on a train part of the way.

In Burma he was a member of the team that monitored Japanese transmissions.

After returning home in 1946, he resumed his career with Woolworths and he and his wife and daughter Diana eventually moved to Hitchin.

"We have had a wonderful life together and I would say the secret of a good marriage is trust. It is an important thing," said Mr Smith.