Ref. 71710-07FIVE couples who belong to the same walking group have been celebrating more than 260 years of married life.

At a buffet lunch in the Lawn Community Centre yesterday, 50 people from the Holiday Fellowship Walking group came together to commemorate the wedding anniversaries.

The oldest couple there were Ron and Joan Audritt who will celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary later this month.

Ron, 86, and Joan, 83, of Plymouth Street, say the secret of a happy marriage is finding the right partner and making sure you enjoy shared interests.

Ron said: "We were married shortly after the war and you had to make do and mend. We've always had each other, that's the important thing."

Joan remembers that Ron's chat-up line was "Can you swim?'' and the pair then enjoyed years of fun at the swimming pool. They still swim once a week at the Oasis Leisure Centre.

But Albert and Christine Jones of Grange Drive had a different idea about the magic ingredients needed. Christine, 72, said: "The husband has to do their fair share of housework and picking up the babies when they're screaming. That's the only way it should work."

And her husband, 75-year-old Albert, has a light-hearted outlook on married life.

"You've got to laugh about everything," he said. "Otherwise you'd just end up rowing. You can't take life too seriously."

Fred and Jean Neville of Southbrook Street were another of the couples toasting their golden wedding anniversary.

They returned to Switzerland to mark the occasion having been there for their honeymoon 50 years before.

Fred said: "It's only when you look back that you realise you've been married for such a long time. It doesn't seem like 50 years if you find the right partner like we did."

Peggy and Alan Glendinning were at the lunch with family and friends reminiscing about their half-century together. They attribute a healthy married life to having lots in common.

Midge and Roy Farley, of Brixham Avenue, were also keen to offer married youngsters some words of advice.

The Farleys, who celebrated their golden wedding anniversary by going on a cruise around the Canary Islands and North Africa, believe you have to work at a marriage and must never give up.

Midge, 72, said: "We've never given up and we never row but we do have differences."

Joyce and Geoff Hamilton of Prior's Hill, Wroughton, were also at the buffet lunch, although their 50th wedding anniversary was two years ago.

The couple, aged 77 and 81 respectively, are founder members of the club, and think mutual interests and plenty of activity are key to wedded bliss.

Anyone interested in joining the Holiday Fellowship Walking group can call 01367 860535.

Emma-Kate Lidbury