A young British soldier was smitten the moment he set eyes on a teenage fraulein in Germany after the Second World War had ended.

It was a love story destined to last, because Edith and Bernard House, from Chippenham, will celebrate 60 years’ marriage on Saturday with a special meal and a ride in a limousine.

The couple from Woodlands Road, met in Kiel, where Mrs House, 79, was born. Mr House, 80, was in the 29 Field Regiment Royal Artillery.

He said: “We had a regimental dance and all of a sudden this fraulein turned up. It was love at first sight.”

They moved to England in 1949 and lived in Mr House’s village of Grittleton for nine months, then in Sevington. Before moving to Chippenham, they settled in Leigh Delamere, where Mr House worked on the farm.

They were married at the Chippenham register office.

Mrs House said: “I couldn’t speak much English so when we got married I don’t even know what I was saying – I just repeated what I was told to repeat. I am English through and through now, not German. When we moved to Chippenham I thought it was a horrible place. But it has changed so much. It has become a lot better, it’s a lovely little town.”

The couple’s six children – Dorothy, 60, Loretta, 57, Francesca, 56, Anthony, 55, Martin, 50, and Andrew, 48, 13 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren live in Chippenham and Calne.

Mr House added: “Anyone who says they have been married for 60 years without arguing is lying. We argue, but then we just shut up.”