Ref. 71915-17A COUPLE's wartime romance led to 60 years of marriage.

Joan and Ronald Audritt, of Plymouth Street, first met while working on aircraft at Wroughton airfield, south of Swindon.

Ronald now 96, was working on aircraft engines, while Joan, 93, dealt with flight instruments.

Their eyes met across a busy airfield in 1941 and three years later they tied the knot at the Baptist Tabernacle where the Pilgrim Centre now stands in the town centre.

Mrs Audritt said : "For our honeymoon we went away to Clevedon, which was one of the few places where they didn't have fencing along the seafront to defend against invasion.

"That made it a nicer place to be."

After the war Ronald went to work for Vickers in South Marston and Joan remained at home, to look after their newborn daughter.

Over the years, the couple have enjoyed similar interests.

Today both enjoy swimming, Joan in the warm waters of the Health Hydro in Milton Road and Ronald at the Oasis in North Star.

Mrs Audritt is sure that shared interests are one of the keys to a long lasting marriage.

She said: "Having the same interests is a great help.

"We even used to regularly go canoeing.

"It meant we had something in common all the time."

The couple celebrated with a special family get-together yesterday.

Anthony Osborne